Harry Potter and The Revenge of the Fallen
by Elise Marie
Summary: Sometimes you can make a promise that you swear to keep, but not everything's under your control. Adventure fic, in canon with DH and slight pairings Ron/Herm, Harry/Gin. Set a year after DH around the anniversary. Someone's out for revenge, but who?
1. Prologue

**Title: **Harry Potter and The Revenge of the Fallen

**Book: **Post Deathly Hallows, Pre Epilogue

**Spoilers: **Probably some from the epilogue and all the books.

**Warnings: **Character peril! And bad language.

**Rating: **T/PG-13. Slight adult-ish theme.

**Category: **Action? Mystery?

**Summary: **Sometimes you can make a promise that you swear to keep, but not everything's under your control. Sometimes you can be dead on the inside whilst your body survives long enough to fulfil its new purpose. Sometimes the lines can blur and people from opposing sides are found to not be that different from each other after all.

**Disclaimer: All characters and the universe they exist in belong to J.K Rowling and her publishers. This piece of fan-fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was exchanged. No copyright infringement was intended and the original characters, situations and plots are property of the author. This piece of fan-fiction must not be archived without the author's consent.**

**Author's Notes: **I came up with this story whilst I was working on "Year of Firsts" and Stargate "More Than". Both of which are colossal jobs so I tried my hardest to not think about this one at all! There's no particular 'ship' in this fic, not in a romantic way anyhow. I'm taking the canon from the epilogue of DH as regards to the relationships here as well as possible careers. I also strongly believe that Hermione would have returned to Hogwarts alongside Ginny, Neville and Luna, Harry went straight into Auror training and I'm not sure about Ron! This is my first real attempt at no 'ship' and action along with a difference in character POV. I hope it works!

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**Harry Potter and The Revenge of The Fallen**

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**Prologue**

The scream of terror pierced the air, shaking the entire flat. Ronald Weasley immediately awoke and rolled towards his girlfriend. Stroking her shoulder, Ron held Hermione Granger as she started to awaken from the nightmares which plagued her dreams. It was a normal routine to which both were accustomed and each action could be predicted. Hermione soon awoke, her eyes glistening in the moonlight which snuck in through a crack in the curtains. She always went to bed first and Hermione always ensured that the curtains were fully drawn. Half an hour later when she put her reading book down and Ron came to bed, he would brush past the curtains, knocking them open slightly. He was too lazy to rectify his mistake and she was always too comfortable in the warm bed to get up and do anything about it. If the couple were honest with themselves, they found comfort in the small slither of moonlight which gave them both the opportunity to see the outline of each other.

Snuggling backwards into him, Hermione's breathing started to calm down and even out. Recovery from the nightly terrors was getting faster due to Hermione's acceptance of them. Unfortunately she was not yet ready to accept the subject of the nightmares. Ron continued to stroke her shoulder, his head closer to her ear as he took comfort from their closeness. Their life had been like this ever since the final battle had been won despite their attempts at normality. When school had resumed in September, Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to complete her final year. After just one night alone in the place where she struggled to see something other than death, Hermione had run back to the Burrow declaring that she could not do it. Only wanting the best for his best friend and lover, Ron had spoken with the new headmistress, Professor McGonagall, and arranged for Hermione to complete her seventh year whilst not living within the boundaries of the castle. She had moved into the Burrow with Ron and his family, using the Floo system to get to classes on time, meanwhile, Ron started working with George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. That was until Easter when George gave Ron the responsibility of setting up a new branch of the shop in Hogsmeade and, together with Hermione, they moved into the flat above it. Despite the fact that the Floo journey from the Burrow to Hogwarts and back was not long, Hermione enjoyed the walk from Hogsmeade every morning and helping out in the shop on a Saturday. It had been almost a month since they had moved into their flat and lived together and alone. Leading a normal teenage life during the day did not stop the painful nightly reminders of Hermione's torture.

"Was it the same?" It was always the first thing spoken once they were both awake and just another part of their routine.

She nodded against his head and his days' stubble caught on strands of her hair, tickling his nose. In the dark, he wiggled his nose. "It was Bellatrix." She stared at the gap in the curtains, wondering what was happening on the other side. The owls and bats who owned the night-time sky and their ground-based counterparts – the badgers and the foxes, Hermione imagined them and their Kingship over the dark when she was trying to sleep again. "It was an exact replay of that night." She was so used to saying that sentence that Hermione found it highly odd that her voice still quivered and fresh tears sprung into her eyes.

"It's over now." He felt bad when he made that promise because he knew the screams would come again and so every night he felt like he broke his promise. Her nightmares had become their ordeal and it was nowhere near from over. "I won't let them hurt you again." His voice was barely above a whisper, but she always heard him.

"Promise?" She knew that she was safe with him, that he would keep his promise and there was nowhere she ever felt safer than in his arms.

"I promise." He never felt bad when he made that promise because he knew that he would keep it. He knew that he would protect her with every fibre of his body and until the last breath escaped his body. Nightly, Ron made the promise to never allow anyone to ever hurt the woman he loved and he meant it with all of his heart.

It was a promise that he could not keep.


	2. Molly Weasley

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**Molly Weasley**

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She approached the chimney and paused, realising that she had not picked up her bag. Moving quickly, Molly went back into her kitchen and got her bag before heading back to the chimney. She paused again, wondering where her shopping list was. Raising her hand to her head she jumped slightly when she remembered that it was still pinned to the fridge. Retracing her steps, again, Molly went to the fridge door and grabbed the shopping list down. Feeling very satisfied with herself, Molly put the shopping list in her coat pocket and returned to the chimney. Just as she was about to reach out for a handful of Floo powder there was a noise from the front door which was quickly followed by a shout of "Mum!"

Molly shook her head in exasperation. She only had one job to perform today and it was so incredibly important to her. If it was not her own memory hindering her process, it was the child who had turned up at her front door. Turning back around she soon saw a red haired child walk into the room. That was not an odd thing given the fact that all of her children had red hair, but it was odd that any of them should be there in the middle of the afternoon. All of her oldest children had moved out of home with Ron being the last one to move out just over a month ago. It left Ginny being the only child still living with her parents, but she was in her final year at Hogwarts and therefore not home until the holidays. Molly missed all of her children despite how most of them had spent seven years spending the majority of the year living at Hogwarts. She only had one baby left now and she was fearful of the day that Ginny 'grew up'. Smiling at her son though, Molly tried to ignore the fact that he was interrupting her. "Yes, Charlie, dear?"

Charlie was her second oldest and the son who lived the furthest away. Sometimes Molly really disliked Charlie's love of dragons and the necessity his passion had to cause him to live in a completely different country. It had never felt this bad when Bill had lived even further away, but back then Molly had all of the rest of her children living at home. Her job for the past twenty-odd years had been that of a parent and whilst that role never ended, she did fear that as soon as Ginny left, it would no longer be her job. On the other hand, she was about to be blessed with her very first grand-child. That was why she was heading to Diagon Alley, or at least that was what she was trying to do. "I was hoping to catch you." She looked at him questioningly and he quickly recognised her look – it said 'answer now because I do not have the time, son'. "I need some stuff from Slug and Jiggers Apothecary."

"Excuse me?" Molly shook her head at her child. That was how she would always see her offspring, especially when no matter how old they were they still needed her to go fetch and carry stuff for them. It never bothered them that she had other things to sort out or chores to do, because to her children she existed only for them.

"I need some supplies for when I go back to work."

"Well then, you can go get them yourself. Charlie, I'm having the whole family over tomorrow after the grand ceremony and before everyone heads back off, Bill and Fleur will be having their baby. I've got a lot of stuff to get and a lot of beds to make here. I don't really have the time to get your shopping too."

"I'll tidy the house, mum, and change all the bed-sheets. Please, Mum."

Molly was stern when she needed to be, but she was also a pushover when sometimes she did not really want to be. "Hand me the list."

"Thanks, Mum, you're the best!" He put his scrappy bit of paper into her hand and kissed her on the cheek before he disappeared back outside. Molly looked down at his list and could barely ready through his messy scrawl. In that moment she knew that she would end up buying the wrong stuff. Shaking her head, Molly put his shopping list in the same pocket as her own and picked up some Floo powder. Nothing was going to stop or delay her trip to Diagon Alley any further. Molly stepped into the fireplace and threw the Floo powder at her feet as she clearly said, "Diagon Alley." Within a mere instant Molly found herself standing in Diagon Alley and surrounded by slightly more than the normal amount of bustling shoppers. Everyone was preparing for the upcoming ceremonies and celebrations and it seemed as if a lot of the magical community had left their shopping until a few days before the anniversary. Molly had more reason than the others to be here at such late notice and needing as much as she did because she had been busy visiting Fleur every morning and helping her magically store meals that could be easily cooked after her baby was born.

As Molly started her shopping, knowing exactly what she needed and from where without looking at her list, she could not help but be distracted over thoughts of her soon to be grand-child. It had been a very difficult year for everyone within the Weasley family, but they had all survived. Molly could not deny that part of her survival was down to the fact that she was due to become a grand-mother within the week. Fleur was due on May the fifth, in just four days' time and Molly hoped that her grand-child was not born early and during the chaos of the anniversary celebrations. Molly entered Flourish and Blotts, her goal set on a particular book for her son and daughter-in-law. She could still not believe that after so many generations of not having a female born into the Weasley family line, there were going to be two in a row after her own daughter Ginevra and then Bill's daughter. Molly found the book she had been looking for – "1000 Tips for Parenting for the Modern Magical Family" – and headed purposefully to the counter. She did not recognise the young lady behind the counter, but both women smiled at each other.

The lady at the till took the book from Molly and placed it into a bag as Molly handed over the correct change. "Are you about to become a Grand-mother?"

Molly nodded as a familiar grin spread across her face. "Yes. Yes, I am. My first."

"This is a very popular book. I think there's a bit of a baby boom at the moment."

"There was after the first war, too. A lot of rushed marriages as well. I thought that about my son and his wife at first, but they've changed my mind and now they're going to give me a lovely precious grand-daughter." Sometimes Molly could not believe how large her grin could get when she thought about or discussed her grand-daughter. Her cheek muscles had not been so exercised in years yet they never tired of working hard. At first, Molly had not been sure about Bill and Fleur discovering the gender of their unborn child, but Fleur made the decision that they were going to and that was that. With hindsight, Molly knew that it was the correct decision for them because from the day Fleur knew she was having a girl, she began planning. Bill had been forced to paint their child's bedroom the very next weekend whilst Fleur took a trip to visit her parents to avoid the paint fumes.

"Congratulations." Molly took her purchases and smiled at the lady.

"Thank you." Turning, Molly headed out of the shop and back into the crowded main streets. She still needed to go to Madam Malkin's Robes to collect the newly cleaned ceremonial robes for all the members of her family and then she would head to Slug and Jiggers' Apothecary for ingredients for both herself and Charlie. Next after that, Molly was going to check out the Quality Quidditch Shop to look for a school leaving present for Ginny. She continued through the crowds of people and saw Sugarplum's sweets in front of her and considered that she should stock up on sweets for Ron. Oh, and then she would pop into Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to see George. Molly still found it amazing that George had made such a success of the shop. It was not that she had no faith in her son, but at first when the twins had left school without their final qualifications, Molly had doubted their ability to make the shop successful. The twins had always been so laid back and fond of trouble that she had found it hard to imagine that they could knuckle down and actually work. They had proved her wrong before the war had invaded every element of people's lives. In the past year, Molly had had no doubt that George could not work hard at the shop but she had worried how he would do that without Fred by his side. On many occasions she had wondered how he would get from one minute to the next without his twin. George had surprised her, as had Ron who, after his year of battling evil forces and being one third of the Golden Trio, had gone to work a nine-to-five job and in all of that time not once had he been late or even called in sick. It had been a terribly hard year for the Weasleys' but they had all made it through and things were looking brighter.

As she passed a jewellery stall, Molly was stopped but the stall holder who was holding out an arm full of necklaces. She looked at the stall holder and smiled back at him nicely. Like most of the stall holders and peddlers in Diagon Alley, they would try and pressure her into buying whatever they were selling. Molly always tended to find that if she were polite to them they would give up quicker than if she attempted to ignore them.

"Madam," he said, "with your lovely, lovely fiery red hair, well, just look at this." He held up a particular necklace in front of her face and Molly could see her face reflecting back from the green stone pendant. "This emerald green gemstone brings out the fire of your hair. And it compliments your oh-so bright brown eyes." Molly's lips curved into a polite smile. She had heard such compliments before from people trying to sell her things in Diagon Alley before. Humouring the vendor, Molly studied the pendant and knew immediately that it was not an emerald and she was pretty sure that the chain would stain her neck green after just a few minutes and that did not compliment her eyes, hair or skin tone.

"Maybe later," she lied. "And if you will excuse me, I still have a lot of shopping to get done before tomorrow."

"Ah, yes," the vendor nodded. He put his arm down and put the necklace away. "For everyone it is such an important day and they need to look the part." There was a twinkle in his eye and Molly knew where he was heading.

She shook her head. "I really am very busy. I still need to get a lot of things down here and then I still need to head to a grocers and buy the food to feed my brood."

"Yes, yes. You're a Weasley, aren't you?" Molly nodded. The Weasley red hair had always made the family very recognisable, but it was even more of an identifying mark since the war. "Proud of your son, I'm sure. It's Ron, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"I assume you'll all be at Hogwarts tomorrow with him?"

"With the whole family. I really am sorry." Molly stepped away from the vendor. "But I have a lot to do." She quickly stepped away before the vendor could say anything else and she continued on with her shopping, heading towards the apothecary. As she walked, Molly needed to get out the shopping list she had obtained from Charlie. She shook her head at how easily she had been persuaded to do his shopping and she knew that she would return home to find none of the chores completed.

Molly Weasley knew her children too well.

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_I first met her on the Hogwarts Express. I think I can vaguely remember seeing her as I stood on the platform and trying to file onto the train. It's quite common to naturally gravitate towards those that will be in the same house as you after sorting and it was no different on that day. I was only eleven, and found it such an exciting prospect: I was heading to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I really could not believe it. I ended up sitting in a compartment with someone who, completely unbeknownst to me, would remain with me for my entire life, and then she poked her head into my world. I knew from the first moment that I fully saw her that there was something entirely different about her. She was different to everyone else on the train, different to everyone else that I had ever met. I didn't know it at that point, despite my suspicions, but she was unique._

_I had no real idea that she and my new acquaintance would become permanent fixtures in my life forever. Her hair was what first caught my attention and it's that feature which I believe I saw as I tried to fight my way onto the train. She barely acknowledged me and at that moment I didn't really care. Come on, I was eleven and she was a girl. I had no idea that she would become my wife, that she would become my life. I had no idea what I would do for her and that acquaintance who became my friend._

_Maybe I didn't love her from that moment she looked down her nose at me on the Hogwarts Express, but I soon fell head over heels for her. Little did I know at that point that my life would forever be entwined with hers._

_Little did I know that I would fight and kill for her._

_At the age of eleven I had no idea that I would have to take revenge on those that killed my first and only love._


	3. Ginny Weasley

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**Ginny Weasley**

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She hovered in mid-air, but not far off from the ground as she tried not to sway too much. Normally she had much more control than this, but there was quite a strong wind which was clearly trying to move her despite her protestations. Ginny had only one hand on her broomstick as the other hand kept tucking her fluttering hair behind her ears. She had the foresight when preparing for her Quidditch training to put her hair up, but her fringe was a bit too short to stay within her hair-band and it had been blown out of its restraint. Waiting patiently for her big moment, Ginny watched the grey skies above and the people zooming around up there. She hoped that the weather would be better tomorrow, but she was not about to hold her breath. On the other hand, if the only thing to ruin the celebrations was the weather it could only be a good thing. She had been having nightmares for the past few weeks about people falling from their brooms in the middle of the display. Her greatest fear was that she would suddenly forget how to fly and would crash down to the grassy earth of the Quidditch pitch in front of the magical community. That would not only be highly embarrassing but would effectively ruin her planned career before she even graduated Hogwarts and got to it.

Once again, Ginny questioned the school's decision to put her in charge of the Quidditch display. She understood that they had faith in her, but at the moment her nerves were overshadowing her own faith in herself. The display was of great importance not only because it was going to be shown in front of the entire magical community, it was also going to be the grand finale after the speeches and due to all four houses working together in it there was a huge emphasis on the healing which had occurred after the war. That was a lot of pressure on Ginny's head and she kept hearing Hermione's voice echoing through her mind. Ginny had been complaining in the Gryffindor common room concerning some of the other houses and how they were maybe not all pulling their weight during practice sessions. Hermione had piped up _"You think they would do considering the fact that all the coaches from all of the major Quidditch teams will be there, too!"_ Ginny had never considered this fact and it was that which made her fear for her career.

She watched as Demelza flew high above her, perpendicular to the stands and in one fluid motion half way along, she flipped and performed a perfect Sloth grip roll which she maintained until she reached the opposite end of the stands. Ginny did not watch what her fellow Gryffindor did after this as she turned to the other side of the pitch and watched as the three Slytherin chasers performed the Hawkshead move towards the stands. When they were close enough to the stands, the middle chaser swung their legs up into a V position and then sunk downwards towards Ginny. The chasers on the right and left mirrored each other by pointing their legs out towards the direction they then headed and flew sideways towards each end of the stand. Ginny's attention was then immediately brought to the two Hufflepuff beaters who were hitting the bludger with backhand swings between themselves as they flew towards the stands across the pitch.

At a given point, one of the Hufflepuff beaters hit the bludger towards the goal where the Ravenclaw keeper knocked it straight down onto the grass. He then increased his speed flying around the goals in a figure of eight. Ginny could not help but smile in amazement as the third year Hufflepuff named Ian became a blur of colour. Until Jimmy whizzed past her in the Porskoff Play and then flew incredibly high. He flew up past the level of the stands, higher up past where the spectators would be and then he threw the quaffle which he held sharply downwards. The quaffle had been thrown with a great force and it picked up more with the gravity acting upon it. Despite the force behind the quaffle, a Ravenclaw caught it. From her position, the Ravenclaw Sarah would only be able to be seen by the front few lines of spectators should they lean forward until she rose slowly on her broom the quaffle in hand.

As Sarah moved towards the left hand side of the spectator stands, two Slytherin pupils used the Woollongong Shimmy to zigzag around and toward the crowd. Immediately after them came the sight that Ginny could watch over and over again. It was the reason that Ginny was sitting this low down as the next part of the display was considered the most dangerous. She was ready to catch either of the next performers and Madam Hooch was also not far away. Madam Pomfrey was also standing on the side-lines should there be an accident with any of the fliers. She was hoping to be present during the actual performance, but she could not guarantee it because the excitement may get to a spectator earlier on in the celebrations. Ginny watched in amazement as a pair of twins from Hufflepuff flew towards each other. They were only second years and Ginny had gotten to know Beth and Claire very well during their recent rehearsals. They were not quite as mischievous as Fred and George had been, but Ginny could see an element of her brothers in them. They did not slow down as they approached each other, but they did stand on their brooms, raising one foot each off of the wooden beam and leaning one arm and their raised leg out towards each other. Then, just as they passed by, each girl jumped, somersaulted in mid-air and landed successfully on their twin's broom. Ginny found herself holding her breath at this point until each girl continued flying level with the stands. There were a multitude of things that could go wrong with that move from the girls missing the broom, missing their timings or the broom falling a bit too much in the seconds there was no flier on it.

There was not enough time for Ginny to think about it as she had to immediately zoom straight upwards at as steep an incline as she could achieve. She barely noticed each twin on either side of her as she passed them as she reached her incredibly high summit. She turned one-hundred and eighty degrees and paused as she stared downwards at the green grass below. From her height Ginny could just about make out the line of all the Quidditch participants beneath her. There was a gap in the middle of them, a Ginny-sized gap. Nodding to herself, Ginny dived downwards feeling the wind scraping her hair away from her face. Tears welled up within her eyes as the wind attacked them and she felt all of the air be forced from her lungs. She continued diving down until it looked as if she was going to over-shoot the line-up. At the last second, Ginny pulled her broom upwards and she came to a dead stop perfectly in line with the others. She punched the air and whooped with joy along with the others as their display ended with her stop.

"Congratulations guys!" Ginny flew outward slightly to face the entire team. She found it odd after years of competing against most of these players, Ginny was now working with them. For the most part every member of the team was happy to work with each other, including the Slytherin members. Ginny could not be more pleased with the outcome as it would show the magical community that the next generation of Hogwarts students would not carry any serious House rivalry out into the world with them. "Pop your brooms away and get an early night please. We'll meet here before breakfast for one last run through. Okay?" Nobody said anything as they all made their way over to the broom cupboard. She had not expected them to say anything because it had not been a question, it had been a courtesy statement. Everyone seemed happy with their performance and Ginny could understand why because everyone had worked very hard for tomorrow and it showed. She hung back until everyone had exited the broom cupboard and then she went to put her own broomstick away. As she entered the storage room, Ginny immediately noticed a young student wearing Hogwarts robes sitting on a far bench. "Hello?"

The young girl looked up and smiled faintly. "Sorry, I know I'm not supposed to be in here." Ginny eyed her suspiciously because none of the other Quidditch players had made her leave. "I was hiding in the very back and I thought that everyone had gone."

"What are you doing in here?" Ginny placed her broom in its usual spot and then picked up her robe.

The girl looked back down at the floor and sniffed. "Do you ever wonder if the Sorting Hat gets things wrong?"

"Umm," Ginny paused considering the girl's question. She had never doubted the Sorting Hat, but then every Weasley she knew of had been sorted into Gryffindor. "What House and year are you in?"

The girl pulled at her robes near the right breast, showing a green and silver pin badge crest. "First year. Slytherin."

"And you think that you shouldn't be?" Ginny put her robe on over her Quidditch clothing.

The girl shrugged. "My mother gave me this." She pointed at the badge again. "It's been handed down through the generations apparently. It's just that…"

"Just what?" Ginny felt sorry for the little girl sitting nearby and she walked over towards her. Sitting down next to her, Ginny leaned back signalling that she was willing to listen to her issues.

"I met this really nice boy this year and he's not in Slytherin. I'd like to be friends with him, but nobody wants to be friends with a Slytherin except for other Slytherins."

"That isn't fully true." For the life of her, however, Ginny could not think of anyone within the Slytherin house that she was friends with. She could name plenty of friends in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, but none from Slytherin. "Things are still shifting in the houses and magical world."

The girl looked up at Ginny, her deep green eyes shimmering with tears. "All of your family have been Gryffindor and you're dating Harry Potter, he was a Gryffindor. Are any of your family friends with a Slytherin?"

"What's your name?"

"Annabella, but everyone calls me Anna."

"As it happens, I'm a Gryffindor and I'm friends with a Slytherin named Annabella, Anna for short." Ginny smiled as the young Slytherin smiled back at her, her green eyes glistening and twinkling.

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_Quite soon into my life at Hogwarts, she became an integral part. The memories of lessons with her, sitting at meals with her and just relaxing in the common room have blurred into one after all of these years. I still can't remember the moment when I realised she was going to be a permanent fixture in my life, but I can remember the day when I knew I would marry her. It was after we had left Hogwarts and we were in the middle of fighting for our cause. One day I saw her, her crazy hair even crazier than normal and her face dirty from our work. I hadn't even ever kissed her at this point, but I knew that she was the only one for me. The stars had aligned and we were going to be together forever._

_Forever wasn't as long as I imagined it to be seeing as I'm now being forced to grow old and grey whilst she rots into the ground. My heart broke the day that she died, but I could not mourn for her. I had to hide and so I did immediately. I fled the school where I had met her all those years before and where we had spent so much of our lives. I knew that I could never return until it was time to exact my revenge and in a few days' time it will be the day I avenge the love of my life against all those that caused her death, those that allowed her death._

_They never understood her. Her magical skills surpassed everyone. Her knowledge was immense and I think if things had been just a little bit different, she would have gone down in history as one of the most amazing witches of not just her time, but forever. They took that away from her though. She was always in someone's shadow, always seen as a bit odd, a bit different. I saw her for what she really truly was. I welcomed standing in her shadow, blinded by the bright light which she emitted. I will ensure that despite her early death, she will be remembered. In death, my wife will have her name etched onto everyone's soul._


	4. Andromeda Tonks

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**Andromeda Tonks**

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She gazed around the room and could not help but feel her heart break again. It surprised her that after a year she could still feel such raw, fresh pain. Most of the time she kept this room magically sealed so that no one could enter it, that way she was preserving it forever. Andromeda doubted that it was healthy, but it was how she needed it for the time being. The room would remain how her daughter left it for as long Andromeda felt it needed to be. There was no need to alter it because despite her new life there would never be anyone who needed to sleep in there. Sometimes she would try and convince herself that Nymphadora was simply off at Hogwarts and that she was still just a child. In those moments when she believed that, Andromeda would sit silently hoping and praying that she would hear the door open and Ted would come home from work. It never happened. Since his death, Andromeda had altered things. She had cleared out some of his clothes, she had packed up some of his things. Nymphadora had helped her as she had declared she wanted to keep the things because one day Teddy might want to learn about his Grand-father.

Andromeda could still not believe how quickly after that point she had found herself packing up Teddy's parents' home so that one day he could learn about them, too. Most of Nymphadora's belongings had never left her parents' home and that stuff was still how she left it in her bedroom, but the things she had acquired whilst setting up a home with Remus was in boxes. Andromeda regretted that she knew so little about Remus and how she would never be able to tell Teddy much more than how brave his father had been. It was not right that one day she would have to tell her grand-son about his own parents. It was not the natural order of things and she resented everything that made it true. She did not want to travel to Hogsmeade and attend the anniversary proceedings at Hogwarts because that would be admitting that everything had happened. She did not want to stand there as the widow to a Muggle-born whilst everyone around her rejoiced at their victory, of their freedom. It still did not feel like a victory to her. She felt no freedom because she was still trapped within her grief.

"Nanan!" Andromeda turned in the doorway and saw her grand-son running towards her. He had not yet learnt how to walk and could only run everywhere and he had inherited Nymphadora's clumsiness. It made her heart soar and weep at the same time.

"Yes, dear?" She closed the door behind her and silently cast the sealing charm. She did not want Teddy to see his mother's room yet. She was not ready to share it with anyone.

Teddy came to a clumsy stop and then he spun. As he spun his hair turned from his usual light brown to a fiery red and Andromeda smiled broadly at him. The only thing that helped ease her pain was Teddy. She bent down and picked him up, tickling him gently in the ribs just to hear him giggle. "Weasley!"

The Weasley family had been an amazing source of help for Andromeda since the war had ended and Andromeda found it amazing given their own pain at losing a child. She had no idea how Molly could be so gracious and helpful when she had lost her own son at the same time as Andromeda had lost Nymphadora and Remus. Teddy loved spending time with any member of the Weasley family and Andromeda had appreciated Bill and Fleur's frequent offers to baby-sit. Their baby was due soon and Andromeda wished that she could bypass the anniversary procession to when they welcomed their child into the world. Then she and Molly could be proper grand-parents together. Except Andromeda's role was never going to be simply as a grand-parent, she had to be Teddy's replacement mother. It was something she had never considered, that she would never wish for, but it was what she had. In her dark moments, Andromeda blamed herself and she would wish that she could go back to that day and never allow her daughter to leave the house. She knew there had been no way to stop Remus from joining the battle, but she could have done more to persuade Nymphadora to stay at home with her son. She should have tried harder. She should have done more.

"We'll see them tomorrow, Teddy." She moved down the hallway towards where the two overnight bags were and paused when she got to them. Glancing around her, Andromeda said 'goodbye' to her house and Apparated out. If she could hide under a rock with Teddy until tomorrow was over, Andromeda gladly would but they were the surviving members of the Tonks and Lupin family who were being honoured at the event. They had to be there despite how greatly Andromeda did not want to be there. In an instant she, Teddy and their bags appeared in Hogsmeade where they were going to stay in a room at the Three Broomsticks Inn. Apparation was easy to perform and she knew that she could have just Apparated into the service tomorrow from home, but Andromeda already felt emotionally exhausted thinking about tomorrow. She much preferred the idea of a Floo journey back to the Inn and then falling asleep instantly.

After checking in with the new barmaid, Andromeda made her way up the stairs with Teddy in her arms happily morphing his nose every few minutes. Once in the room, Andromeda put Teddy down and he immediately began investigating their room. She went into the small bathroom to splash some water on her face, trying to control her emotions. If she could not control them the day before then she had no hope at Hogwarts with everyone looking at her. She looked at herself in the mirror and for an instant she saw Bellatrix staring back at her. Closing her eyes, Andromeda took a deep breath in and then slowly exhaled. When she opened her eyes, she still saw her older sister, but she recognised it as her own reflection not some ghostly apparition of her dead sister. Knowing the importance of the next day and the union of the Hogwarts Houses worried Andromeda because she knew who else would be there. She had not seen her younger sister in years and not spoken to her in even more. Tomorrow there was a strong chance she would see Narcissa and given the day, she could not overtly show her hatred for the Malfoys. Trying to ignore the new worries concerning the anniversary procession, Andromeda focused on her reflection and her daily practice of trying to remove the similarity she held to Bellatrix. She wished that she had her daughter and grand-son's ability to morph and change their appearance because she would do anything to not look like the woman who killed her daughter. Had Nymphadora paused upon seeing her aunt? Had she considered for a moment as her relative killed her that it was her mother looking back at her?

Andromeda's eyes found her new silver chain and locket in the mirror and she fingered the locket. It was a bright and clean silver locket and wearing it brought her comfort. Inside Andromeda had placed a lock of Nymphadora's hair after her death. On a rare occasion, Andromeda would open the locket and each time the hair seemed to be a different colour. She had no idea if she were simply seeing things or if she were magically causing the changes. Andromeda had also considered the fact that maybe the locket was magical and doing it to try and comfort her. Feeling reassured and with her fingers still on her locket, Andromeda left the bathroom with the decision to take Teddy to Honeydukes for a treat.

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_Despite my love for her, I never quite knew what she saw in me and I sometimes doubted she loved me. Deep down I know that she married me out of duty, not love because I was never the love of her life. He was. My memories get hazier as the days get longer, but I think we were still at Hogwarts when I realised her growing affection for who would soon become the love of her life. I never hated her for it; I was just grateful that she stayed with me, that in her own way she chose me. Her love for me and that which she held for him were two very different entities so I was the one to whom she became wife and he was the one to whom she always remained loyal. I loved him, too, followed him to the ends of the world for our cause. Of course, it was his cause to begin with and she followed him because of her love for him. It was in his shadow that she lived. I followed him because I followed her. I did everything I did in his name, because of her, because I was doing it for her. In the grand scheme of things he held very little power over me, whereas she held my every breath in her hands._

_I did my homework because of her. I followed him into battle because of her. I returned to his cause after some niggling doubts because of her. I fought side by side with them because of her. I waited patiently because of her. I cursed for her, I killed for her, I lived for her._

_All of this I did in her life and all of this I will in death._

_And after I kill one final time for her, I will die for her because I do not want to live without her for a moment longer._


	5. Narcissa Malfoy

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**Narcissa Malfoy**

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It was a relatively warm spring evening in the Malfoy house despite the manor's enormity. Narcissa was moving from one room to another, closing all of the curtains and doors and making sure that everything was where it should be. Since her home had been hijacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Narcissa and her husband, Lucius, had done a lot of redecorating and even some remodelling to try and erase the awful memories. As she passed a window at the top of the staircase, Narcissa paused to look out at the setting sun. The sky was darkening above her, but off in the distance there was still blue sky and pink clouds. The treeline of her garden prevented her from being able to see the sun itself as it set, but Narcissa did not mind. The only thing that did bother her about the setting sun and encroaching darkness was the loss of heat on her house. As the sky flooded with darkness, the house flooded with a cold temperature.

She pulled her shawl tighter around her and began to walk up the second set of stairs. There were blankets in an ottoman in her bedroom and Narcissa decided that she would sit on the sofa, surrounded by a blanket and with a nice warm cup of hot chocolate, possibly followed by a glass or two of wine. Sleep was going to be impossible for her on tonight of all nights. She had barely slept a full night's sleep in over two weeks due to the anticipation of the anniversary. It was mainly a nervous anticipation and she felt no excitement with regards to the day. It was going to be the first time in many months that she and her family were going to be surrounded by the rest of the magical community and they were going to be in Hogwarts.

Arguing with Lucius about going to the Hogwarts ceremony had been fruitless no matter how hard Narcissa had protested. She had tried to reason with him that a more local procession might be in better taste. Or perhaps the ceremony to be held at the Ministry would be better suited for them. She really did not want to go back to the school where it had all happened. She had allowed her son to become a Death Eater and sent him to that school with a mission, a mission from the Dark Lord. Lucius had argued that it was in that school where they had first met and where they had both realised that their son and family were more important that Voldemort's pure blood plans for the magical community. Narcissa could remember opening her mouth to protest, but Lucius had stopped her with a look and said, "No, Narcissa, we are parents of a student at Hogwarts and as such we have every right to attend. Your fear of the magical community will not prevent us from being members of it. My decision is made, is that clear?"

Reluctantly, she had nodded at him. She sighed as she reached the top of the stairs and went to her bedroom. Lucius had been working a lot lately, trying to regain the trust and respect of others in the magical community and part of Narcissa wished that he would not. All that she cared about was her family: Lucius and Draco. She did not care if they were popular or feared, if they carried power or their words carried weight in the right circle. She cared only that the three of them were a family and happy. Until she considered her son's future and then she realised how important it was for Lucius to rebuild their social standing. Opening the ottoman, Narcissa pulled out the top blanket and hugged it to her chest. She gazed around at her bedroom and felt as if something were out of place, but she could not see what it was. Shaking her head for fear that it was a feeling that was out of place within her mind, Narcissa began to walk back down the stairs.

She paused once again at the window half way down her stairs and looked out at the night sky which was all black now. The dark unsettled her and that itself was unusual. She tried not to think about everything that seemed out of place and tried to convince herself that it was all just her nerves about the anniversary. Her head turned sharply at a noise from downstairs. It was a _'clank'_ as if something had fallen over or been dropped. Narcissa knew that there was no one else in the house – Draco was still at Hogwarts and Lucius was working late. If she was not so concerned with the unusual noise, Narcissa would have laughed at the idea of Lucius working late. Due to his name and blood-line, Lucius had never needed to work let alone work late. Hesitantly, Narcissa continued walking down the stairs trying to keep her footsteps light and quiet. A few steps down she considered making more noise to try and scare off whatever was in her home.

Magical charms meant that there could be no Muggles in her home, but that left Narcissa worrying about wild animals having got into her home. The build up to tomorrow was beginning to get to her, Narcissa realised as she smiled. There was no way that any wild animals could have got into her home. In fact, there was no way that anyone or anything could get into her home. As she entered her large, luxurious living room, Narcissa conjured herself a hot chocolate and watched the steam rising from it for a moment before she picked up the warm mug. Allowing the heat to penetrate her hand for a moment, Narcissa looked all around her, double checking that there was nothing out of place. All of the windows were still closed and there was nothing knocked over or on the floor. She really was getting paranoid and she could not wait for the anniversary to be over.

There were only a few hours left of today and then she just had to get through one day and everything would all be over. She settled herself on the sofa and wrapped the blanket over her lap, holding her mug in both hands to warm them. After pursing her lips and blowing delicately across the surface of the chocolate, Narcissa took a sip. The drink warmed her oesophagus but burned her lips ever so slightly causing them to tingle. She rested her head back against the cushions and watched the steam again. She followed its path until something on the far wall of the room caught her attention. Placing the mug down on the nearest table, Narcissa approached her fireplace mesmerised by the fire in it. She had not started a fire due to the warmth of the day, but the fireplace now had a small fire flickering at its base. Gingerly she stretched her arm and hand out towards the fire but there was no heat from it. In fact the small fire burning brightly was burning with an oddly emerald green flame. It reminded Narcissa of the flame when using the Floo as a means of transport, however, that flame would normally die out very quickly and not remain as this one was doing.

Standing back upright and with an incredibly puzzled look on her face, Narcissa called out to her empty home hoping for a response, "Lucius? Draco?" When there was not one, Narcissa called louder, but there was still no reply. Paranoia and fear flooded her so she moved towards where she had put her wand down when she had sat on the sofa. As her fingers reached for it Narcissa's attention was brought to the doorway. Her fingers faltered as eyes settled on the figure standing there.

"No. No, it can't be."

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_I wasn't there when she was ripped from this world, when an enemy combatant threw a curse at her stopping her heartbeat almost instantly. Part of me is glad that I didn't see her in that moment because to me she was perfect, she was the most gifted witch of her time and I still find it hard to believe that someone bested her. I try to think that it was down to luck. I hope that it was luck. Another part of me wishes that I had been there to jump in front of the curse which ended her life. I wish I could have saved her because she is so much more worthy of this world than I. She would have achieved the revenge I seek in such a much more distinct way. My wife definitely had a way about her. I can imagine the pain and shock which mixed on her face. Her oh so pretty face; I miss it more and more each day. I worry that the memories will fade from my mind, that her image will fade from my eyes._

_I hate the fact that late at night when I try to sleep, I am haunted by her dead face. Even though I wasn't there and I never got to see her body afterwards, she screams at me nightly. Her face pale and her dark eyes blank and cloudy. Her hair is still crazy and wild, just like her soul now is. I'm sure that it's her, driving me forward on my trail for revenge. She wants those she fought against all of her life to suffer and it has to be at my hands. They stand for a despicable way of life and they must be destroyed for it. They cannot stand victorious._

_They killed her, destroying me in the process and soon I will destroy all of them. I will send them to hell after they visit mine._


	6. Hermione Granger and Harry Potter

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**Hermione Granger**

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She smiled at herself, happiness flooding through her at her accomplishment. Hermione was sitting in the library where she had been holed up all afternoon. It was getting close to the end of the school year and she did not have much homework left to finish before her final exams. Normally she was far ahead of homework and revision, but Hermione was working hard to get even further ahead because of the anniversary celebrations taking place in the school. The entire magical community was having time off from work, school and their normal life to take part in the celebrations. The opening ceremony was being held at Hogwarts with other, smaller ceremonies occurring in many other places. Hogsmeade was having its own parade, along with the Ministry building, Diagon Alley and many other small towns where the magical community made up a large percentage. Days ago Hermione had put the finishing touches on her own speech and then gone through step by step what she and Ron were doing over the few days. She doubted that Ron had paid much attention to her, but he had seemed to nod in all of the correct places. Along with Harry, they were making appearances at all of the major locations. Although there would be no lessons for the next three days, Hermione still made sure that she was ahead in her work because she had not returned to school for her final year just to drop a few points now.

It had been a hard decision with regards to returning to Hogwarts or following Ron and Harry's lead and obtaining a job. The new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had offered her a junior position at the Ministry, but after a great deal of soul searching, Hermione had refused his offer. She knew her own skills and talents, that she had the ability to learn very quickly and that she was a very talented witch. She worried that by taking Kingsley's offer, she was being shown favouritism for her part in the war and that was something that Hermione did not desire. She had spent all of her years at Hogwarts waiting for the day that she would be fully qualified with all of her OWLs and NEWTs, and the thought of not having them did not sit right with her. Hermione had explained to Kingsley that it was not a refusal of him or of the new Ministry which he was trying to build and that she would happy to apply for an internship when she had her NEWTs and compete alongside everyone else. He had promised her that there would always be a position for her and she had thanked him. Above everything else, Hermione wanted to achieve things in life and obtain them by merit and hard work not being handed them on a silver platter or by association.

Hermione Granger wanted to graduate from Hogwarts with the rest of her class, those with whom she had spent the past seven school years and hopefully at the top of the class. To do that she needed to make sure that all of her assignments were completed before she became distracted with proceedings. The past year had been amazing and awful, demanding and difficult all at the same time. She had relished being back in school and absorbing the lessons and she had thoroughly enjoyed having a bed to sleep in every night and a proper bath and food. However, not having Ron and Harry in classes with her had distracted her, but going home to Ron and his family every night had helped her to adapt. She was so close to completing her schooling that Hermione could smell it and she was excited at the prospect and all of the doors that would open for her.

At the moment her excitement was focussed on the anniversary and the planning which she had been asked to do. As Head Girl, Hermione had helped the headmistress prepare everything within the school it had helped distract her in the times when she was not doing her homework and memories of the year before washed over her. Hermione hoped that the marking of a year having gone by might help lay some of her memories to rest. She gathered up her books and began walking through the library stalls to put them away. Most of the books were on Charms and from the same aisle, but she had two which were from much further back. As she made her way further into the bowels of the library, Hermione noticed how much quieter it was back here. That struck her as odd as Madam Pince ran a very tight ship when it came to noise levels. The library became darker the further Hermione walked and due to the increasing silence she found herself stepping lighter. Her footsteps still sounded loud to her so Hermione tried to make them quieter and quieter.

She reached the final aisle where her last two books lived and she began to walk down it, searching for the location from where she had obtained the books. Seeing a gap on the left hand side, Hermione re-housed the first book and then continued down the aisle. She had the vague recollection that the book had been about three quarters of the way down the aisle. Finally as she neared the location, Hermione felt a cold shiver run through her and she quickly glanced all around her. Shifting the book into one hand, Hermione reached for her wand and held it out slightly. She knew that it was odd because she was safe within Hogwarts and the library was the least likely place for anyone menacing to be, but something was troubling her. Carefully and slowly, Hermione looked down one length of the aisle and then turned a half-turn and looked the way she had come. There was no one present and there were no signs that anyone had been there. Still, she could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Trying to reason with her own mind, Hermione decided that there was probably a first year lurking around and following her. Nevertheless, she kept her wand out and ready as she turned to the shelf where her final book belonged. Hermione tilted her head in curiosity and confusion as she pondered the books in front of her. All of the books on the shelf had a golden spine except for the one she had been using which had a shiny silver cover. She wondered how she could have missed that when she had been looking for the book and why of the entire collection one volume was a different colour. She picked up the silver book again and checked the publication date before repeating the action with the neighbouring volume. They shared the same publication year so it could not be that the silver book was newer or older than the golden ones. Hermione could not explain the colour difference and decided that she must have missed it when first in the library due to her concentration on her assignment.

It was only a book cover, she reasoned with herself as she headed back towards her desk and work with her wand still ready just in case. Gathering up her belongings, the feeling of being watched had gone and Hermione felt happy enough to put her wand away as she walked past the other students. As she walked past Madam Pince's main desk, Hermione glanced at the clock behind her and she realised she was already half an hour later than the time she had told Ron she would be home. Hermione was still troubled by her walk into the library so she decided to visit Headmistress McGonagall and use the Floo network to return home rather than walk to Hogsmeade. Just to be on the safe side after all.

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**Harry Potter**

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He paused at the large main gates of Hogwarts Castle and spent a moment simply watching it. Despite the war being over for almost a year, Hogwarts still had many protective charms on it and Harry could not simply walk into the grounds. It was one of many safety precautions that had been in place for many years and probably always would. They helped to keep Muggles out and any magical people who should not be present. Harry had always respected the magic which protected those inside the castle grounds and now as a fully trained Auror for the Ministry of Magic, Harry also saw the charms as essential. He had been in training with the Auror department for just under a year and yesterday the Minister for Magic informed him that he was fully qualified. Harry Potter was now officially an Auror, but his duties were not due to start until after the celebrations. Minister Shacklebolt did want Harry to represent the Auror department and new Ministry at the anniversary proceedings and Harry was more than obliging on that matter. He had wanted to become an Auror for a long time and in the aftermath of the war and all of the pain and sadness, he had managed it.

He had not been able to see any of his friends since Minister Shacklebolt told him the good news, but he knew that they would all be proud of him when he did. Harry wanted to tell the Weasley family first because they were the closest thing that he had to family and he knew they would all be incredibly proud of him. Mrs Weasley would cry, he knew that would be her response. Mr Weasley would hug him and slap him on the back in congratulations. One of the two would tell him that Sirius and Remus would have been proud and that so would his parents. Earlier during his training, Harry had spoken with Kingsley regarding the difficulties of becoming an Auror and the Minister had informed him that his parents would be proud of him simply for trying. Kingsley had not known either of them well, but he knew enough about their love for each other and their son. Harry still found it hard to believe that all of his father's closest friends were dead and gone. He still knew so little about his parents and there was no one left to ask questions to. The only people he knew to have ever known his mother were Snape and her family, of course. Snape was dead, too, along with all of the Marauders and he had not spoken with the Dursleys since he left their house over a year ago. There were still so many questions that he wanted answers to. How had his parents started dating? From the memories he had seen and the stories told, Harry had no idea how they ever got it on. Had it been his father who asked her out? What had he said and where had they gone? How had he proposed and how had James felt when his wife announced she was pregnant? Had Lily accepted his request for a date or proposal immediately? Had they been planning on having a child or had Harry been a wondrous surprise? They were all questions that he could guess an answer to, but would never know for definite.

There were others, like Kingsley – Molly, Arthur even Hagrid – who knew his parents a bit or in passing or by reputation, but there were no best friends left, nobody who knew them like the Weasleys and Hermione knew Harry. The Weasleys were the closest thing that he had to family and he was glad that later on he would be able to make them happy and proud of him for becoming an Auror. He knew that he would always have the Weasleys and Remus' son Teddy. He already had plans on learning as much as he could about Remus and Tonks' relationship to be able to tell Teddy one day so that he had more information than just how brave and proud his parents were, how they had beamed whenever they spoke of their son and that they had died to ensure Teddy's future. Harry hated the fact that Teddy would grow up without his parents, but he would have his god-father forever. He had suffered without parent or god-parent and being abandoned with people who never showed him love and he was adamant that Teddy would never suffer that fate.

Filch approached him and Harry watched the caretaker walking the path. Mrs Norris was dutifully walking by his side. Where Harry had missed the closest thing he had ever had to home, he did not necessarily miss all of the staff. At the main entrance, Filch walked away from him without a word of goodbye. In fact, Filch had not said a word during their short walk, but then the only times he had ever spoken to Harry before was to reprimand him or complain about his actions. Obviously, graduating from and leaving the school did not automatically grant you with respect from Filch. Or perhaps, Harry had caused the old man so many troubles during his six years that Filch would never speak to him. It was probably the same for George, Harry decided.

Harry found himself standing in the entrance hall, the marble staircase in front of him and the doors to the Great Hall to his right. Glancing at the small annex where McGonagall had first greeted him and the others in his first year so many years ago. He found himself picturing all of them standing in there now, everyone so much taller trying to fit into the small space. Of course, not all of those who had started the journey through Hogwarts with Harry were still alive. Quickly, Harry glanced in through the open doors of the Great Hall and he saw the usual long four tables leading to the teachers' top table. From his location Harry could see the enchanted ceiling which showed the blue May sky with a splattering of clouds. On many occasions he had seen the night sky from inside of the Great Hall and during his hunt for the Horcruxes, Harry had sometimes sat out on watch staring upwards and imagining he was still at the castle. After his rescue from the Dursleys' home by Hagrid, Harry had quickly grown to consider Hogwarts as his home. The Great Hall and Gryffindor common room and dormitory were where he had always felt the most comfortable.

Quietly he began to climb up the stairs of the Grand Staircase, easily remembering the path to the Gryffindor common room. He grinned as he took two steps at once to avoid the sinking step and he continued the journey to the top of the castle. When he reached the seventh floor he made his way towards the very familiar painting of the Fat Lady. She instantly recognised him and smiled at him.

"Harry Potter!" she greeted. "Well, it is a pleasure to see you once more."

"You too. How have things been around here?"

"Back to normal after that dreadful year with Snape and the Carrows. What about you, young man?"

"Snape was on our side, remember?" Harry had needed to remind a lot of people of this fact over the past year and many had taken a long time to believe him. Some still did not believe him. During his final year at Hogwarts, Harry had tried for so long to persuade Dumbledore, Mr Weasley, Ron and Hermione that Draco was a Death Eater and up to something and then that Snape was working with him for Voldemort. Harry had been convinced for years that Snape was an evil agent and had refused to trust Dumbledore's word on his loyalty. Now he kept fighting to persuade people that Snape was Dumbledore's man and that he had always been loyal to the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Of course." The Fat Lady sounded far from convinced. "Back for the big celebrations?"

"Yeah. I guess everyone's got something to celebrate. Look, I don't know the password, but I was wondering if you could possibly let me in." He knew that it was a long shot, but she had done it before except then he had still been a pupil at the school.

"For the famous Harry Potter, anything." And with that, the portrait swung forward and Harry stepped into the circular opening. He had never considered the smell of the common room before, but as he took a few steps a familiar smell hit him and he recognised it as Home. His first sight of the common room was amazing to him and nothing had changed whatsoever. There was no one present, everyone must have been in their dormitories or possibly still in lessons despite how the hour was a bit late. Everything was exactly how he remembered it – from the fire which eternally roared along one wall, to the sofas where he had often sat with his best friends. This was truly the first place that he had ever called home and he would always call it such.

Now, all he wanted to do was find Ginny and maybe some of the Gryffindor boys and sit on the comfortable sofa in front of the comforting fire and simply talk.


	7. Ron Weasley

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**Ron Weasley**

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Entering the Great Hall, Ron for the most part ignored what was going on around him because he had a mission at hand. His eyes scanned the entire room and somewhere in his mind the vague faces of those he saw did register, but he ignored everything. He was on a mission to find Hermione and she had been neither in the Gryffindor common room nor the girls' dormitory. Suspecting that she would be somewhere within the Great Hall, Ron had briefly said hello to Seamus and Dean and then headed to the Hall. There were crowds of people in there already and Ron struggled to see past everyone to try and find her. He had seen Hermione only that morning, but he had come over incredibly anxious of the day ahead after she had left for Hogwarts and so he had arrived earlier than planned. The main event was due to start in an hour with a Quidditch display led by his younger sister Ginny. After that were the speeches and whilst he was looking forward to hearing Hermione, Harry and Neville's he was petrified concerning his own.

"Ron," he turned to see Harry standing next to him. "How long have you been here?"

"Few minutes, you?" Ron asked after a manly greeting hug from his best friend. He had barely seen Harry in the past year due to his training commitments. Ron understood, but he was looking forward to when Harry was a fully qualified Auror and he could spend some time simply being normal. Ron was unsure when he had last been 'normal' with Harry, but the war was now over and everyone could lead normal lives.

"All morning. I haven't found Ginny yet, though. Have you seen her?"

Ron shook his head. "She's probably practicing for the Quidditch display. How jealous are you that you're not in it?"

"Are you kidding me? I would have loved it, but I've done some pretty cool evasive flying training. Apparently I'm a natural on a broom."

"We could have told you that years ago, Harry!" Both friends turned as Bill, Charlie, Percy and George walked up to them all with a heavily pregnant Fleur. George was grinning and he then turned to Ron, "How was the shop yesterday?"

"Busy, but not for big things. I don't think we've got anything to worry about." Ron and George had been warned by their father that he did not want any of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products to be used at any of the celebrations. That would be all that the event needed – one of their Wildfire Whiz-bangs going off would not be good. Although from what Ginny had told Hermione there were some fireworks linked to the Quidditch display.

"I'll meet up with you guys in a minute, okay?" Harry asked. "I'm going to go and find Andromeda and Teddy. He's probably forgotten who I am!" Ron watched as his friend melded with the crowd and only a few moments later, Arthur Weasley emerged and approached them all.

"Boys," he greeted. "Fleur, you look lovely. I hope you're not feeling too uncomfortable."

"I am fat and huge. My feet are killing me and now I have to stand around here on my sore feet." Despite her rant Fleur still looked radiant and Ron doubted that was simply down to her Veela DNA.

"Come on, honey, let's go and find you somewhere to sit. Even if I have to conjure you a chair."

"Don't ruin Hermione's chair arrangement!" Ron warningly shouted as his brother and sister-in-law walked off. He then turned to his father. "Where's mum?"

"She's around here somewhere," Arthur answered distracted by the growing commotion all around them. "Probably found someone to talk to about something important. Where is Hermione anyway, the Hall looks lovely?"

Ron took this moment to actually study the rapidly filling Great Hall. The tables had been removed and rows of chairs were in the front half of the room, all of them facing the stage. The stage and walls around the room were decorated in coloured banners belonging to all four houses. In the centre of the stage behind a podium, there was a large crest containing the four individual crests. It was a symbol of the unity which needed to exist in the magical community. He glanced up at the enchanted ceiling and thought that the sky seemed bluer than maybe it should be. The entire room had a warm, welcoming feeling towards it and there was a pleasant cinnamon-like smell. His fears concerning his speech vanished in the familiar Hall. "Yeah," he agreed, "she's done an amazing job. I haven't seen her yet. I reckon she's backstage worrying over some little detail. In fact, I'm gonna go see if I can find her, maybe help calm her."

"Good luck with your speech, son."

"Thanks, dad." With a smile and his father's pride, Ron headed off in the direction of the stage. As he neared a side door by the edge of the stage, he saw Neville and Harry approaching him along the front of the stage. He gave them a little nod as 'hello' and Neville smiled in reply. "Did you find Andromeda?"

Shaking his head, Harry said, "No, but I'm not sure what time she was planning on getting here. I haven't seen Teddy in so long and was hoping they'd be here early."

"She'll get here and you'll get some time with them, even if you have to sneak off under your cloak. You did bring it, right?" Ron grinned at his best friend, thinking back to all of the escapades they had shared underneath the cloak. There was no way that their combined heights would fit underneath it ever again. Ron wondered how hunched over Harry now had to be in order to hide.

"First rule of an Auror is to keep his tools at hand." Harry turned to Neville, already knowing Ron's thoughts on the subject. "Have you thought any more about Kingsley's offer of Auror training?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Neville quickly glanced around the room before answering. "I'm still not sure. Everyone keeps telling me that I did an amazing job of fighting last year and that I am a true Gryffindor, but I'm not sure about doing it all day every day."

"Just think about what you felt every time you fought back against the Carrows, when you stood up for others, you could fight for the good side every single day."

He shrugged again. "Gran wants me to take him up on the offer, but Luna keeps telling me that I have to follow my heart. Maybe I could be an Auror, but it doesn't mean that I should do. Before last year, I thought my future lay in Herbology."

"If that's what you want to do, what you have a passion for," Ron replied understanding completely that sometimes things did not happen how you had thought. Since as early as his fourth year, Ron had strongly considered becoming an Auror and it had not always just been because that was what Harry wanted to do. He had seen that life as exciting and worthwhile. Ron had never been destined for desk based Ministry work like his father or Percy and he was not skilled enough to work as a curse-breaker or dragon-tamer. From his year on the run and living mostly in random fields and forests, Ron knew that he could be an Auror, that he had the knowledge and skills, but something about spending the year fighting for his life had changed his mind. Every night he went to sleep thanking his lucky stars that he was safe in his bed and that Hermione was cuddled beside him also safe. He detested the nightly screams that she had and when that was coupled with the lack of desire to work in such a dangerous job, Ron had known he needed to find something else to do with his life. Originally Ron had only been helping his brother with the shop, but somewhere along the line everything had fallen into place. "How is Luna?"

"Same as always, I haven't seen her yet today. You?"

Ron shook his head. "No, she's probably out somewhere just wandering."

"Looking for Nargles or something," Harry added and the three young men all laughed until they were interrupted by somebody whom Ron and Harry could only assume was a first year.

"Ginny asked me to come find you and tell you that she needs to talk to you both in the common room," the young girl wearing a Ravenclaw school uniform said and began to walk away before any of the men could say anything. She had looked directly at Ron with a quick glance at Harry, possibly because she was not one-hundred per-cent sure who she was looking for.

"Why would Ginny send someone to come get us?" Harry asked, before adding, "And why a Ravenclaw?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know, mate, but do you really want to risk upsetting her?"

"She's been a bit stressed over the display later on, maybe she just needs a pep talk and she doesn't want to be surrounded by all of these people," Neville explained and the other two nodded.

"Come on then," Harry said and after saying goodbye to Neville they hastily went to the common room which was once theirs. Luckily, Harry had been told the password by Neville earlier so they would have no problem in getting the Fat Lady to open the portrait hole. Before they could approach the portrait they both heard a noise from behind them and instantly in unison they turned. Harry drew his wand immediately whilst Ron was slightly calmer knowing that he was in Hogwarts and without the Auror training which seemed to have made Harry constantly prepared and alert.

"What the…?" Ron whispered as he reached for his own wand at the woman standing in front of them.

"Good morning, boys, I don't believe we were every formally introduced. I used to be known as Professor Carrow, you can call me Alecto."

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_And now the time nears that I can have my revenge. The time in which I make my love proud. From the moment that she was taken from me, my life froze and time stood still. Life became simply going through the motions. My lungs continued to breathe and my heart never stopped its beating, but life was frozen and I don't remember anything. My friends took me under their wing, ensuring that I ate and drank whilst I wished for my existence to end._

_Tonight my existence will end because the time has come and with my death comes my revenge._


	8. Discovery

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"How did you get in here?" Harry demanded with a menacing flinch of his wrist.

Alecto waggled her finger at him as if he were a naughty child. "Don't try any of your new Auror skills on me just yet, boy. I wonder if you've noticed the empty seats downstairs? Because I have a few friends willing to fill them," she continued without allowing either man to answer her. "I worked here for a year and I lived here for seven so I know a few secrets. Did you think you were the only ones?" She laughed and then stood there defenceless and very self-assured.

"All of the people we've been looking for, you have them?" Harry asked with a slightly calmer voice than his first demand. Alecto grinned, nodding and began to answer when the situation hit Ron.

"You have Hermione?" He had naively assumed that she had simply been busy and preoccupied with the celebrations and display and it had never occurred to him that it could be something else. Just the night before he had made his usual nightly promise to never allow anyone to ever hurt her again, if Alecto Carrow, the ex-Muggle Studies Professor, had taken her somewhere then Ron had failed her.

"My brother's keeping her safe." Alecto winked at Ron before turning to Harry, "And your lovely little flying witch."

"Ginny?" Harry sounded as worried and disturbed as Ron's own voice had just been. Ron glanced at his best friend and saw anger and rage bubbling under the surface. Both men were fully aware that they each had the same feelings at the moment. "What have you done with them?"

"Simply getting my revenge." Harry started to raise his wand, but Alecto tutted at him and warned him again. "No. Not if you want to see them again."

"Where are they?" Ron demanded, watching Harry try and reign in his anger from the corner of his eye. In the past it had always been Ron who was the more prone to over-react or let his temper get the better of him, but Harry seemed angrier than he normally had done. Ron wanted to jump at Alecto, to punch her despite her gender and inflict as much pain as possible if it got his girlfriend back. However, Ron knew that it would get him nowhere and he found himself hoping that Harry maintained his calm.

"Later. You'll be told soon, but don't think about going for help. If anyone other than the two of you comes to me, it won't go down well. For now, I need to return to them or my brother starts the killing." She walked straight past them without haste or fear.

As soon as Alecto had left, Ron turned to Harry with his fists clenched at his sides. Harry had one fist clenched, too, whilst his right hand held his wand pointing down at the floor. Both men looked worried and slightly defeated. "How did she manage to get in here?" Ron demanded as if Harry was privy to extra information than he.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe she learnt about the secret passages. I mean, she was once a student here and then a Professor for a year. If Madam Rosemerta was Imperiused to help the Death Eaters maybe she told them about the entrance from Honeydukes."

"We should go get my Dad."

"You heard her, Ron," Harry almost yelled. "Only the two of us can go. Anyway," he mumbled, "I'm a bloody Auror now so this is my job." They both stood in silence, lost for what to do given that they had no idea where the Carrows were keeping the girls.

Ron laughed slightly at his own predicament. "I want to work in my shop, have dinner with Hermione and a nice quiet life, but apparently others have different ideas."

"Okay," Harry nodded. "Okay, we find out where they are and we go get the girls, hand over the Carrows and it's over. You can have your quiet life. We've dealt with worse."

Ron nodded with him. "So we… wait. Should we go somewhere else? Maybe see if we can find them?"

"I don't know. She said the message would come to us."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "and what if we bump into someone like my dad. We'd have to lie to them."

"True. She said there were a few empty seats. Do you reckon they've got others?"

"Like who?"

"Neville couldn't find Luna."

"And you couldn't find Andromeda."

"Why would they want revenge on them? I can understand Hermione and Ginny, they're to hurt us, but why the others?"

"Maybe Luna did something in their year here."

"So did Neville and they haven't taken him." Ron could not understand why the Carrows would have taken Luna, but not Neville, or why they would have taken Andromeda at all.

"Maybe she just said it to confuse us."

"Maybe," Ron nodded in agreement but he was not fully convinced. Harry's tone gave it away that he too was not fully convinced by his own words. Before either of them could discuss anything any further, a younger student entered the common room and before either of them could try and shoo them away the student spoke.

"Have you ever considered," the younger girl questioned, "that the light you see in the sky is the echo from something long dead?" She grinned at them and then continued on to the girls' dormitory.

Ron shook his head. "She's as loony as Luna."

"Hang on a second, what if that was the message?" The men looked at each other, Ron looking sceptical and Harry looking hopeful. "Lights in the sky are stars and it's true that they're echoes from stars which could now be dead."

"So the girls are being kept somewhere outside where you can see the stars."

"Or the Astronomy tower where Dumbledore died."

"How about the Great Hall where plenty of people died a year ago today?" Ron asked and Harry looked at him until Ron relented. "Okay, Astronomy tower it is." There was no way that the Carrows would have them in front of everyone gathering in the main hall. Both men started to head towards the portrait hole and as they climbed through Ron said, "You do realise that the girl must have been Imperiused?" Harry nodded grimly. "And that means…"

"That means that so could others. Maybe that's how the Carrows got the girls."

"Nah," Ron shook his head, "Hermione's stronger than that."

Within a few minutes and successfully avoiding anyone in the corridors, Harry and Ron climbed the spiral staircase at least two steps at a time and soon entered the room at the top. They entered the room with Ron less than a step behind Harry, both of them had their wands raised. The Carrows were standing in the centre of the room, each with their arms crossed and smug grins on their faces. Both men scanned the five chairs around the outside of the room and Ron's eyes immediately fell on Hermione. She was tied to a chair nearest the window, her mouth bound and gagged. He could tell even from the distance that her face was slightly tear stained. Part of him hoped that she had been crying in fear and not from any torture they may have subjected her to. Ginny was on the chair nearest to her, a defiant look still on her face and on the three remaining chairs were Luna, Andromeda and Narcissa Malfoy. On the floor next to Andromeda's chair was Teddy Lupin motionless on the floor. His eyes were open, but they were glazed over and he was the only prisoner who did not have his mouth gagged or any other type of restraint.

"What do you want?" Ron demanded of the Carrows.

"Why do you have Malfoy?" Harry asked, echoing Ron's own internal question of the former Death Eater's wife being captured.

"But there's someone missing," Amycus spoke for the first time and someone moved on the ledge outside of the window. It took Ron a few moments to realise that it was his mother and she stood there silently with no gag or binds on her. She seemed to be staring right through Ron and he knew then that she too was Imperiused. Slightly behind Molly was someone who it took Ron a bit longer to recognise, but then Harry whispered his name.

"Rodolphus LeStrange."

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	9. Him

_I was the stranger who followed the _Muggle-born_ along the streets of Hogsmeade and caught her attention near the front door to her home. It was there that I _Imperiused_ her to act as per normal and come to the Astronomy tower at the correct time. It was I who had cast a charm onto the silver covered book, opening her mind to my suggestion and easing my ability to _Imperiuse_ her because, for a _Muggle-born_, she's strong. That kind of strength should not be hers; she does not deserve to have such power. She must be made to pay for daring to battle my beloved, weakening her for the final fight, which ended my war._

_It was I who flooed into Malfoy Manor with both of the Carrows and I stood there flanked by the brother and sister as it was Narcissa who first saw us. None of us had known whether Lucius would be there, too, but I had only wanted Narcissa. Lucius would have simply been a bonus extra and not part of this particular revenge. She did not put up a fight as I stood there watching the Carrows tie her up. I have such revenge to exact upon the Black traitor, but I refrained whilst in her home because I could not risk Lucius' suspicions. I forced her to leave him a note explaining her absence and I know he'll buy it because of the strains in their marriage. She obliged willingly, begging over and over to leave her son out of it, to not harm her son. I care little for that cowardly wizard, but I blame his mother for her betrayal._

_I watched the witch and waited to pounce on her down by the water's edge, but the half-giant monstrosity interrupted. I didn't let him distract me, though. I followed them into the castle which no longer prevents me access because of my partners in crime, and waited until she was alone in a corridor. I used _Confundo_ to confuse her more than the poor Lovegood's brain already is and then _Incarcerous_ to tie ropes tightly around her before bringing her to the tower. I have already tortured her once, but I still seek to make her pay for daring to stand and fight my wife._

_It was I who crept into the Tonks' household and swapped a silver necklace for an enchanted replicate which brought her to me earlier. She is a not only a blood traitor, but a family traitor and she does not deserve to have Black blood still within her. And as for her mongrel grand-son… he deserves death at an early age. He is not worthy to have any shared blood with my beloved and he should be put down like any other unwanted pet._

_I despised sitting on the Quidditch room bench and conversing with a Gryffindor, but it needed to be done. She is a strong witch and I knew she would not easily succumb to _Imperuising_ so I befriended her briefly before I _petrified_ her by the doorway. I watched her eyes as I transformed back into my normal appearance, shedding the pre-teen girl form, and horror filled them. I then added her to my growing collection where she will pay for weakening my love's body._

_And then the one I have most relished torturing and her death will be the sweetest revenge I could ever have. She is the one that took her life. She is the one who took her from me, from this world. She is the one who I must remove from this life. I was the jewellery stall seller who used a necklace to increase the permeability of her mind for when I later walked up to her front door under a disguise and _Imperiused_ her to find me after her family arrived at the school. She was the last one who came and found me, soon after the Muggle-born._

_Now, I will have revenge for Bellatrix and leave The Boy Who Lived and the blood traitor boy to the Carrows. _

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The Carrows each grinned at the unique mixture of confusion, horror and realisation on the boys faces. One of the prisoners made a throaty noise, but no one could understand them due to the gags in their mouths. The siblings raised their wands in the direction of the men, the target of their hatred for bringing about the destruction of Voldemort. They wanted their revenge on the men and Hermione for their hunt and subsequent destruction of the Horcruxes. LeStrange wanted the Granger witch and those others connected to the death of Bellatrix dead, and they were fine with that. For years Potter had been the one person they were always forbidden from harming and now they could do more than hurt him.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," LeStrange commanded and Molly Weasley's body rose up from the outside ledge and outward from the tower. He was now hovering her over the edge and the long drop beneath. The Astronomy tower had been chosen not just for its link to Dumbledore's death and the chain reaction that followed, but also because it was the tallest tower in the Castle.

"No!" Ron yelled in the instant that he feared LeStrange had already allowed her to drop. Through her gag, Ginny cried out and she began to wrestle against the restraints which bound her to the chair.

This act made Amycus laugh and he directed his wand at her, simply casting, "_Crucio,_" at her. Ginny screamed through her gag and struggled more before falling limp in the chair. Harry made a step closer, but Alecto stopped him when she managed to send the _Crucio_ curse around all the other prisoners except Teddy. Everyone else tied to a chair struggled, made illegible noises and then quietened except for someone who continued sobbing. Harry paused at the act, but Ron became enraged seeing his mother hovering above an un-survivable drop and his sister and girlfriend being subjected to such levels of pain.

"You-" Ron was cut off mid-abusive sentence by Amycus casting the _Langlock _charm and as Ron glared at the Carrows, they in return laughed at him.

Alecto grabbed Hermione by the hair and after magically removing the ropes, held her up. Fresh tears clearly fell down her face at the pain her hair being pulled. "This one's the brains behind them, let's get rid of her." LeStrange would not care how the Mudblood was disposed of; he had made it clear that he simply wanted to see the Weasley boy suffer and all the others dead by whatever means. LeStrange spoke his next spell at the same time as Alecto pulled a knife out and moved it towards Hermione's throat. Everything passed in slow motion for Ron and Harry as the knife neared Hermione's jugular and LeStrange commanded, "_Descendo_," and Molly started to slowly descend downwards. Harry froze between casting a levitating spell on Molly and _Expelliarmus_ on Alecto and her knife. Before he could do anything, however, Ron launched himself from where he stood and tackled Hermione from Alecto's grip and out of the Astronomy Tower window, plummeting down to the ground.

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	10. Descent

Amycus cackled and said, "Okay, dumb one's gone, too."

"_Impedimenta_," Harry commanded at the male Carrow, sending him flying backwards a few meters right off of his feet.

As Amycus started to get back to his feet, Alecto fought back with, "_Obscuro_."

Harry suddenly found a blindfold wrapped tightly around his head and all he could do as he struggled to remove it was repeat _Protego_ and other barrier spells over in his mind as protection from the Carrows and LeStrange. In the struggle to untie the covering, Harry dropped his wand, but he continued his protective charms. The temperature within the room increased and there was a strange noise that Harry could not place. As he finally managed to remove the blindfold, Harry's lungs filled with smoke and his eyes filled with protective tears as the heat and smoke from the fire surrounding him irritated them. He knew that he could not get to everyone in time and in the smoky surroundings, Harry could not see his wand. The smoke filled his lungs and coughing harshly, Harry fell to his knees.

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Ron held tightly onto Hermione knowing that she was still tied up and unable to hold onto him. Quickly glancing back up, Ron saw his mother falling above them at a much slower rate as her descent was being controlled to an extent by LeStrange whereas it was gravity acting on Hermione and himself. As soon as they had fallen from the room at the top of the Astronomy Tower, Ron had called for his sister's broom knowing that it was kept in the school and would not be in use as she was tied up above them. The broom arrived as Ron and Hermione neared the tips of some trees and Ron released the breath he had been subconsciously holding. Taking control of the broom and levelling themselves off slightly, Ron glanced up at his mother who now appeared to be falling faster. She was still _Imperiused_ and he did not trust the broom to be able to hold all three of them. Instead, Ron turned his attention to a nearby tree and pointed his wand at it causing it to transfigure into a sport's crash mat. After Molly hit the mat, Ron flew the broom down to the ground and helped Hermione to a standing position. He carefully untied her hands and released her gag before she crushed him in a hug. With no objection from him, Ron squeezed her tightly, burying his face into her hair.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

She nodded against his face and shoulder. "I'll be okay." Ron pulled away from her slightly and cupped her face to look her in the eyes. "I'm fine, Ron, honestly." She kissed him and he tried to ignore the questions in his mind about if her wrists hurt from the ropes, or if her head hurt from where her hair had been pulled, or the other many questions in his mind. He broke the kiss and studied her face, making one last check that she really was okay.

"I'm so sorry."

"What for?"

"I promised you that I would never let anyone hurt you and I let that-"

She put a finger to his mouth and made shushing noises which masked his descriptive words of the Carrows and LeStrange. "It's okay. I'm okay." He nodded, trying his hardest to believe her. The crash mat next to them vanished and they both glanced over at Molly who was now silently lying on the grass, she was still clearly _Imperiused_.

"Look after mum, I have to go back up there." Ron made a move towards his mother, broom in his hand.

"I will," she promised and he kissed her quickly before mounting the broom and flying away. As Ron flew upwards toward the top of the Astronomy Tower he glanced down and saw Hermione trying to get Molly to move to no avail. He neared the large window and was sent backwards slightly by a blast-wave of heat which was soon followed by the three Death Eaters flying outward. Ron collided with one of them and found himself hanging from his broom by just his hands. Pulling himself upwards, he regained his seated position on the broom and noticed the flames coming from the window. Without regard to his own safety or any thought of where the Death Eaters had flown off to, Ron flew straight into the room which was burning strongly.

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"Mrs Weasley?" Hermione tried again, but there was no response from her. Without a wand, Hermione had no way of freeing Molly from under the control of LeStrange although she could try and do it wandlessly. She had achieved some spells without a wand, but her brain was not concentrating enough on the task. It was also a magic beyond her capability. There was a whooshing noise from above her and as Hermione looked upwards she saw a fireball explode out from the top of the Astronomy tower. As it retreated Hermione watched as Ron collided with a Death Eater fleeing the fire on a broom. She gasped as Ron fell from his broom, but managed to keep hold of it, dangling for a few moments before climbing back on. Helplessly, Hermione stood there holding onto Molly's shoulders as Ron flew straight into the Astronomy Tower without hesitation. Smoke was billowing from the room and fear for her friends up there overtook any residual pain that she felt.

Her attention was drawn to the Death Eater with whom Ron had collided and she noticed as they struggled to maintain control of the broom, something fell from them and landed amongst the trees nearby. It was a small item, but Hermione thought they looked like the bunch of wands the Carrows had taken from their six prisoners. She needed to get those wands back, but she could not just leave Molly _Imperiused_ and vulnerable.

"Mrs Weasley?" she tried one last time, but there was no response at all from her. Hermione bit her lip in trepidation before shaking her head slightly. "I'm really very sorry, Mrs Weasley." Hermione released Molly's shoulders and then raised her right arm, clenching her fist. She really was incredibly sorry, but there was nothing else she could think of to do. The ropes lying on the ground behind her where not long enough to tie Molly to a tree and she did not believe that simply tying her wrists and ankles would do anything. If any of the Death Eaters returned they would be able to command Molly to do anything. The only way to ensure that Molly was safe was if she were unconscious and Hermione knew of only one way to do that without a wand. She had tried the incantation _Petrificus Totalus_, but Molly was still standing and able to move. With a wince and slight hesitation, Hermione punched Molly and watched her fall to the floor out cold. Ignoring her, Hermione focussed on the task and ran off in search of the fallen wands.

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	11. Inferno

Harry was blinded by the smoke and he was barely able to breathe. The only sound in his ears was that of the raging flames and he knew that the gags in the mouths of the four women in the room were preventing any of them from screaming. He had no idea if the flames had managed to get any of the prisoners, but he was trying his hardest to find them. During his scramble to remove the blindfold, Harry had dropped his wand and he had decided against trying to find it on the burning floor. The main thought in his mind was that the four women might be able to drag themselves clear of the flames or manage to get out of the ropes tying them to their chairs, Teddy was completely helpless. Harry had to get to Teddy.

Suddenly out of the deafening roars, Harry heard a baby's cry and he turned in the direction from where the noise had come. His vision was still obscured from the smoke, but he followed Teddy's cries. He crawled along the floor, trying his hardest to stay out of the smoke and away from the flickering waves of heat and within a few moments he found Teddy, lying on the floor and screaming his lungs out. He could only assume that Teddy had been _Imperiused_ to be silent or _Petrified_ and that either the Death Eater who had cast the spell was now dead or that the spell had been broken by someone in the room using wandless magic. Harry scooped Teddy up into his arms and tried to cover his face from the smoke. He knew that Andromeda could not be far away and with his free hand, Harry searched the area trying to find a chair leg. As his fingertips brushed the chair, Harry heard a yell from across the room and it belonged to Ron.

"I've found Luna!" The yell was followed by large hacking coughs from Ron, which Harry copied and Teddy cried louder.

"I'll try and find the exit," Luna shouted over the smoke. Her voice was raspy and clearly irritated by the smoke.

Assuming that Ron would continue trying to find Ginny and Narcissa, Harry worked one-handedly to untie Andromeda and then passed Teddy to her. "I've got Andromeda and Teddy!" Harry yelled to alert the others. "Stay close to the floor," he commanded and felt Andromeda as she complied. His vision was still impaired by the smoke and he knew that he needed to find Ginny and Narcissa. "Ron?"

"I'm trying to find them," Ron yelled in reply and Harry knew that it was simply a matter of finding the next person in the room, hoping that they were moving in the right direction.

"Have you got your wand?" Harry shouted over the flames, hoping that Ron did and that he could try and put the fire out. Before Ron could answer however there was a loud ear-splitting scream and Harry knew that it was Ginny. "Ginny!"

"I've got her," Ron shouted before adding, "She's on fire!"

All he could hear was the blood pumping in his ears. There was not enough oxygen getting to his lungs and Harry's head started to feel light. The flames began to blur in front of him and Harry fell to the floor.

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Clutching the bundle of wands in her hand, Hermione pointed hers and said, "_Accio_ Dean's broom." Within seconds a broom appeared in front of her and with a slight hesitation, Hermione climbed onto it and flew upwards. She was not as good on a broom as Ron or Harry, especially with a completely unknown one, at least Ron had called for Ginny's which he had probably flown on at some point. Hermione had considered going back to Molly, but the flames at the top of the tower were getting stronger and stronger. She had no idea if Harry had been incapacitated prior to the Death Eaters' retreat and if that were the case then Ron could be up there alone trying to rescue everyone. With the Death Eaters gone, Molly should be fine alone at the bottom of the tower and everyone else within the school should be gathering in the hall by now. Not that Hermione was sure how the celebrations were going with three guests of honour missing and the star of the Quidditch show also missing. Surely Kingsley or Professor McGonagall would notice they were all absent, Hermione hoped so.

Soon Hermione reached the window and felt the heat of the fire radiating out and warming her instantly. She paused wondering if it were simply a normal fire or if it were _Fiendfyre_ blazing close by. Hermione flew into the room through the heat and smoke, hoping that no part of her cloak or hair got singed. Immediately she cast, "_Aguamenti_," and the spell worked which thankfully meant the fire was not _Fiendfyre_ and had probably been caused by a simpler charm. Hermione then quickly used a charm to clear the room of all the smoke before searching the room with her eyes for everyone and ensuring that everyone was okay. First she spotted Ron, crouching behind Narcissa and trying to untie her ropes. He glanced over at her to see who had stopped the fire and smiled a relieved thank you to her. She smiled in reply. Next she saw Luna who finished having a coughing fit and then opened the door which lead to the stairs, Andromeda was behind her, Teddy safely in her arms although he was still crying.

"Hermione." She turned at Ginny's voice and saw her crouching next to Harry who was lying on the floor. Ginny's face was bruised and there seemed to be a burn mark on her arm. She was also incredibly concerned for Harry.

Hermione dashed over to Ginny and Harry, she was soon joined by Ron. She checked Harry over and whispered a simple charm which healed his lungs from the smoke damage. He sat up and eagerly looked around the room, checking that everyone was okay. When he was satisfied that everyone was okay, he smiled at Hermione. "Thank you."

"Some Auror you are," Hermione joked. "Didn't they teach you _Aguamenti_?"

"I dropped my wand."

"Speaking of wands," Hermione said as she stood back up and took out the bundle she still had within her cloak. Luna, Andromeda and Narcissa approached her. "I have two made of elm." She held it out and Narcissa smiled politely, taking them both from her and then passing one to Andromeda.

"My new one since the War," Narcissa explained. "And this is Andromeda's." Hermione was suddenly aware that the two sisters had possibly not been in such close proximity in years. "Thank you."

Luna plucked one wand from Hermione's hand which she had recognised as the new one Ollivander had made for her a year ago. Hermione then handed the final two to Ginny who was gently holding onto Harry's arm, Ginny knew which one was her wand and which belonged to her mother. Ron had already bent down and picked up Harry's phoenix feather wand and passed it to him. Everyone said a chorus of thank you's and Harry turned to Andromeda and Teddy.

"Is he okay?" Harry asked and Andromeda nodded.

"He'll be fine. I don't understand what broke the charms on him. He was under _Langlock_ to keep him quiet."

Quietly Narcissa answered her sister, "That was me. I had to become quite proficient at some wandless magic during the war when Draco had my wand and Lucius' had been removed." An uneasy silence fell over everyone at the tension between the sisters.

"Thank you," Harry replied for Andromeda. "Where's Molly?"

"I, um, I left her down on the grass."

"But LeStrange is still in command of her," Ron objected.

"That's why I, kind of, punched your mother." Ron, Ginny and Harry looked at Hermione in shock and she felt the need to apologise. "I'm really sorry, but if she's unconscious then she can't be made to do anything."

"Come on," said Harry, heading to the window, "there are still three Death Eaters out there, too." Ron automatically passed Ginny's broom back to her and then took the broom Hermione held out to him. "We'll go and get Mrs Weasley and I'll head out for the Death Eaters. Luna, can you get Andromeda and Mrs Malfoy back to the Hall, alert Headmistress McGonagall and Minister Shacklebolt?"

"Of course I can, Harry." Luna then beckoned the two elder ladies to follow her down the spiral staircase. The remaining four did not wait long as Hermione climbed onto a broom behind Ron and Harry shared with Ginny, Ginny flying it. They flew side by side down to the ground and scanned the area for Molly, but she was no longer where Hermione had left her lying unconscious. The other three looked at her questioningly.

"I left her right here." All four of them ran around a bit, trying to search the area but there was no sign of Molly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Ginny replied which made Hermione feel a bit relieved.

"What direction did the Death Eaters fly off in?" Harry asked as he took the broom from Ginny without asking.

Hermione turned and pointed towards the Forbidden Forest. "Somewhere in there."

Nodding, Harry mounted the broom he had just taken from Ginny. "You three head to the Hall and tell the others. I'll go and see if I can find them, scout things out and wait for other Aurors."

"You're not going after my mother without me?" Ginny declared.

"Harry, you can't go after them on your own," Hermione agreed.

"It's my job, Hermione."

"What we not good enough anymore?" Ron argued. "There's three of them and three of us."

"Four, Ron," Ginny said angrily, "I'm going too."

Harry shook his head. "No, Ginny, you're not. Please go and get your Dad. I can't be worried about you. Please. This is my job now."

"Fine," Ginny relented but it was clear that she was not happy about the situation.

Harry then turned to Ron and Hermione, before he could try and argue with them they climbed onto their broom and rose up into the air. "Guys, you really should stay here."

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, just because you've trained to be an Auror, that's not all that you are. I thought you learnt during our hunt to work as a team. You're not just an Auror, you're a wizard with friends. You don't have anything to prove to us. Or anyone else." Hermione had never fully been able to understand Harry's point of view, or see how his life was from his eyes. He had always had a reputation to live up to and so many expectations put upon him. Now he was putting new ones upon himself. Harry shook his head and flew off with them both towards the Forest. Hermione glanced behind her and saw Ginny wait a few moments before running off in the direction of the main entrance.

HP – HP – HP


	12. Chase

The three of them soon arrived at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and both Ron and Harry paused their brooms, hovering in the air. There was no way of judging whereabouts within the Forest LeStrange, the Carrows and Molly were. Even if they flew up high above the tree tops, the foliage was so dense that they would simply see the tree tops. From their position there was no way to know where they were.

"Any ideas?" Ron turned to Harry who shrugged in reply. "We may as well land." There was no point in attempting to fly through the Forest due to the dense growth. Both men lowered to the floor and climbed off of their brooms, Ron waiting until Hermione had first.

"What are their motivations?" Hermione pondered out loud and then answered herself, "The Carrows want revenge for Voldemort's destruction, so maybe the clearing where he thought he'd killed you?"

"Maybe," Harry considered. "Unless LeStrange is the mastermind. If this is his plan, then he wants revenge on Molly which has nothing to do with the Forest."

"Mum killed Bellatrix in the Great Hall, though. There's no way their heading there now. Not with everyone else there."

"We can't just stand here." Hermione turned toward the Forest with a defiant look upon her face. "I may not be an expert, I recommend we head to where they all thought Harry was dead. Go from there."

"It's better than wandering the Forest aimlessly," Harry agreed as he joined Hermione at her side.

"If we see any bloody spiders…" Ron's threat tailed off as he walked side by side with his two friends into the Forest. Only Harry knew the exact location of where he had been _killed_ so the other two followed his directions. Their wands were out and ready, prepared for the impending danger. They kept their footsteps light and as silent as possible so that they would be alerted to any other noise and hopefully prevent any of the three remaining Death Eaters from sneaking up on them. For Harry, the act of walking back into the Forest was accompanied by very odd sensations. This was the place where everything had become clear within his head and he had realised what was needed to be done. Now, he was returning, not as a teenager with a life mission, but because it was his job and because it was a member of his family in danger. Worry filled him because this time he should know what he was doing and there could be no mistakes. Hermione had been correct in saying that he now saw it as work and that he did not want his friends involved. He worried too much for them and he felt as if he needed to carve something new into his life. He was no longer the Boy Who Lived, with a destiny and purpose. Being a successful Auror was his new purpose and this night was going to be his first test.

Narrowly avoiding a cobweb, Ron hated the fact that he was entering the Forbidden Forest once again. The fact that it was his mother in danger made the feeling ten times worse. There was nothing in the world that was going to prevent him from going into the Forest when his mother was the one at threat from a Death Eater. After the death of Voldemort, Ron had believed that all of these shenanigans were over. Every night he listened to Hermione's nightmares and promised her that he would never allow anyone to hurt her ever again. He would do everything within his power to keep all of his family from ever being hurt, yet over the past twenty-four hours he had allowed Hermione and his family to be hurt. He risked a glance at Hermione and was relieved to see that she appeared okay. Her hair was more dishevelled than usual, but he put that down to a combination of being tied up and then being pushed out of a window by him. Ron could not bear the thought that she had been tortured again. Would she forgive him for not keeping her safe?

She felt his eyes on her and Hermione had to try her hardest to not glance back at him. She tried to keep her mind focussed on the task ahead, ignoring what had occurred to her over the past few hours. It was difficult to when she was still in the situation. After being in the library and becoming transfixed by a wrongly coloured book spine, Hermione had returned to the flat with Ron and fallen asleep; she could not really remember anything including the journey home. When she had awoken, Hermione had been in the Astronomy Tower tied to a chair with Narcissa, Andromeda, Teddy and Luna nearby. Her mouth had been gagged and the restraints around her wrists had cut into her skin. It felt as if the restraints were still upon her now, the pain still throbbing. She had shared looks with the others concerning their fear, but none of them could communicate. Hermione had no way of knowing how much time passed between awakening in the chair and the arrival of their captors with Ginny and Molly. Ginny had been bound and gagged, unconscious as she was tied to an awaiting chair. It had been Molly who had tied her own child down, clearly _Imperiused_. Then the bouts of _Crucio_ had begun. LeStrange had taken it in turns around the six of them so that as one person's screams quietened, another's began. Hermione had tried to remain strong, but she had screamed at her own pain and cried at the others'. Then the Carrows had joined in until they set in motion the plan to lure Harry and Ron to the Tower. LeStrange had no desire to hurt Harry or Ron; he was content with the six females he held to blame for Bellatrix's death. It was the Carrows who wanted Harry with Ron just collateral damage. Hermione had known as soon as they taunted that Harry and Ron would come to their rescue that it was true. Neither man would stop until they rescued all six women and Teddy.

The three of them paused when they heard a noise ahead of them. Crouching, they each sought cover behind fauna and moved forward a bit more so that the source of the noise could be seen. Hermione was behind a tree on her own, she met the eyes of Harry, then Ron who were both hiding behind a bush. In front of the three of them were their objects.

"Go!" LeStrange commanded to Molly and she immediately began walking off, in a direction away from the others. "Do what you need to do. I don't care about any of them." LeStrange then started to follow Molly.

Ron turned to Harry and whispered, "Harry?"

Harry nodded, understanding immediately his friend's question and Ron moved away circling around the Carrows to find the trail of his mother and LeStrange. Turning to Hermione, Harry pointed his finger down towards the ground, indicating that they should remain where they were for a moment as the Carrows were no immediate risk. Both of them waited patiently and quietly as the siblings talked to each other in hushed whispers.

"You heard him," Amycus huffed taking a few steps away from his sister. "We need to fortify the enchantments."

Both Carrows started muttering incantations under their breath, Alecto slightly more reluctantly than her brother. Hermione instantly recognised them and turned to Harry, a concerned look on her face. He nodded and as one they stepped out from their hidden position both declaring: "_Expelliarmus,"_ before _"Petrificus Totalus."_ Alecto fell first from Harry's spells, soon followed by Amycus. Hermione ran to the opposite side of the slight clearing, retrieving the wands of the Death Eaters and Harry walked over to her after checking on the siblings.

"You know what they were doing?"

Harry nodded. "They're using protective charms to hide themselves. Like we did all of last year."

"Harry, Ron might already be within one. We'll never be able to find him. He'll be alone with LeStrange."

"Go on, go. I'll stay here with these two. They're wandless now."

Hermione nodded and did not wait another second as she ran off in the direction that LeStrange had gone a few minutes earlier. She ran as fast as she could, keeping her senses on high alert. She tried to keep one eye on the ground so that she could leap over or duck under stray branches or roots. Her hair whipped around her, alternating between getting in her eyes to getting pulled by branches. Nothing was going to slow her as she leapt over another root and immediately darting to the left to avoid a tree. Hermione tried to keep her ears open, but she knew it was pointless if the silencing charms were already active. The shoe tracks on the ground ended abruptly and she skidded to a halt. They must be somewhere nearby, Hermione knew, but if the protective charms were working correctly she would not be able to see or hear them.

She turned on the spot, searching all around her for any sign. She thought she heard something and she tried to control her heavy breathing. Then she heard it again:

"I'm glad that you're here, Mr Weasley." It was LeStrange and he sounded incredibly close by. "I spent the past year wanting nothing more than revenge on the six I blamed for my Bellatrix passing and do you know what I came to realise?"

"I don't really give a crap." Hermione snapped her head to her right, the direction from where Ron's voice came. It sounded as if she was standing directly in between them although she could see neither of them.

"You will do. You see, Weasley, you and I … we're not that different."

HP – HP – HP


	13. Climax

"Just give me my mother back," Ron hissed. He felt helpless standing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with his wand outstretched, but unable to do anything. LeStrange had his mother standing in front of him, holding a knife to her throat with one hand and a wand with his other. Ron's mum made no move to break free as she was still under his control. She would probably push her throat onto his blade if he said the right word. If Ron disarmed LeStrange of his wand, he would kill Molly. If Ron used _Expelliarmus_ to get the knife out of the equation, LeStrange would still have his wand and at this part of the plan he was likely to jump straight to _Avada Kedavra_.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you want to talk to me, tell me how alike we are. Let my mother go and I'll talk with you."

"You don't believe me, do you? That we're so alike. Oh, Weasley, how can you be so naïve?"

Ron's eyes narrowed at the Death Eater. "Go on then." His teeth were gritted as he hated the idea of playing along, of having to listen to some delusional man's ideas on him. There was no way that he was anything like LeStrange.

"I met Bellatrix on the train to Hogwarts in our first year and I knew instantly that there was something different about her. I can still see her now." A wistful, romantic look was on his face and it made Ron feel quite uncomfortable. "At the Department of Mysteries Battle, did you see her defeat three Aurors in a row and then deflect an attack from the precious Dumbledore? Have you ever known anyone to deflect the amazing Dumbledore's shot?"

After a few long moments Ron realised that LeStrange was actually waiting for an answer. "No. No, I haven't." It had never occurred to him before, but then he had not been present at that part of the battle.

"She was amazing and so powerful. She was destined for greatness, but look at who managed to kill her." LeStrange turned to Molly and silently caused a slash mark to appear on a cheek. A few drops of blood dripped from it and Ron fought his anger and the rash action he wanted to complete. "Some home-maker. No great wizard. No amazing Auror. A mother of too many and husband of a blood-traitor. It still makes my blood boil knowing that someone so weak and trivial ended my wife's life."

"Maybe my mother isn't quite so insignificant then."

"She wasn't able to fight my control, was she?" LeStrange laughed as he knew that Ron had nothing to say as an answer. "Lord Voldemort trusted her. She was the only one who got anywhere near to close with him and all I could do was watch as she sacrificed everything for him. We went to Azkaban for him. Do you know how that made me feel?"

"Second place?"

LeStrange nodded and smiled. "I was always second place to my darling wife. She needed to marry a pure-blood and I was the best option, the most noble with whom to combine her bloodline. I was always aware of that and it made no difference to me. I was content being with her and following her desires. Is your _Mudblood_ worthy enough for you procreate with?"

"What's Hermione got to do with this?"

LeStrange laughed again, becoming increasingly maniacal. "Can you really not see it?" He moved the blade slightly closer to Molly's carotid artery and Ron shook his head, answering him. "I followed Lord Voldemort because I believed in his cause, but I devoted myself to him because of her. My brother and I followed her into battle and I came out better off than he did. I always knew that I was second place to him. Don't you ever feel like that?"

"What?" Ron was adamant with his objection, but then something faltered in his mind. "No, I don't."

"You don't sound too sure about that. What would you do if the _Mudblood_ were killed?"

"Hunt them down and get my revenge."

"And how likely is it that she'd die for the treasured Potter boy. You're second in her heart and you always will be."

Ron knew that it was not true, but he was not in the right place to purposefully anger the man. "I've thought it before, yeah." Ron had moved on a lot since the time when he had felt that strongly.

"So the only difference between us is you still have your beloved whilst mine was murdered at the hands of a Weasley."

"If you say so…"

"Let's do something about that, shall we?"

His eyes narrowed at him, curious as to what he meant as LeStrange began mumbling incoherently when there was a swirl of light in between them and suddenly Hermione appeared from out of nowhere. "Ron," she breathed. It was then that Ron realised that LeStrange had used protective charms to ensure that no one else could see them and that they, somehow, could not see people outside of the protective charms. Hermione's protective charms had never worked that way, but maybe LeStrange and the Carrows were employing more dark magic than she would have. Hermione must have followed them, or LeStrange was able to conjure people from anywhere and Ron doubted that. "I heard-" Hermione stopped as Molly went sprawling to the floor and LeStrange grabbed her by the hair, causing her to drop her outstretched wand. Hermione's scream pierced the air as Molly lay silently on the floor.

Ron stepped forward, his wand pointed at LeStrange and he shouted out, "No!"

"Don't!" LeStrange warned as he moved the knife to Hermione's throat. "I think it only fitting that you're following in my footsteps so you should get to spend the rest of your life without your love. Just like I have to do!"

"You could just die and rot in hell!" Hermione snapped and he responded by pulling her hair tighter and exposing more of her neck. She screamed in pain and Ron winced in response, feeling helpless.

"_Silencio_!" LeStrange ordered and Hermione's screams vanished despite her open mouth and pained face.

"Let her go." Ron did not even try and hide the pleading tones from his voice. "I am nothing like you. I never have been and never will be. Hurting Hermione or my mother won't turn me into you, it'll just make me want to see you in Azkaban more than I already do." Ron concentrated hard on the spell that would break Molly free although it might not work as he had not started the spell, knowing that even without her wand she would be powerful enough to defeat LeStrange. Ron was not sure if he was strong enough to break LeStrange's hold over Molly, but it was all that he could do. "We're nothing alike. Just because your wife never truly loved you, it won't convince me that I'm you."

LeStrange's eyes narrowed in anger and he growled. He drew up the knife and made to raise it downwards, his eyes and wand still on Ron who could do nothing but stand there. As LeStrange laughed, Ron screamed _No_ and in a flash it all happened. The blade moved through the air and Ron started to move forward. Hermione moved her hands in front of her stomach and used both arms to force her right arm backwards into LeStrange's stomach. Ron took the opportunity and yelled, "_Expelliarmus_." LeStrange's wand flew to the ground and he stumbled off-balance. He still had control of his knife, but Hermione yanked her hair out of his grasp and kicked him in the shins. She rolled to the side, landing at the base of a tree. Ron ran at LeStrange, tackling him to the floor where he proceeded to punch the man in the face over and over.

He lost count of the punches and only paused when Hermione whispered, "Ron." Glancing over at her, Ron nodded, trying to control his heavy breathing. The man lying on the ground between his legs was bloodied and unconscious. Remaining where he was, Ron watched as Hermione shakily got to her feet and crossed to where his mother lay, pausing to collect her wand from where it had fallen. She knelt next to Molly and cast the counter-charm to LeStrange's _Imperius_ Curse, hoping that it was strong enough to counter-act LeStrange's magic.

"Hermione? What's going on, dear?" She looked about her. "Where are we?"

"It's a long story, Mrs Weasley. Here," she held out her hand to Molly and then helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes, I think so. I have a bit of a headache and my jaw." She moved her mouth around a bit. "My jaw hurts a bit."

Across the distance, Ron could still make out Hermione blushing. "Are the protective charms counteracted?"

Hermione nodded. "Someone should be here soon and they'll be able to see us."

"Ron?" Molly questioned, moving closer to her son with Hermione holding her arm. "What are you…? Is that Rodolphus LeStrange?"

"He tried to kill you, mum. You and Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Andromeda and Narcissa." Ron glanced down at his bloody knuckles and tried to ignore the pain throbbing in them.

"Ginny? Is she okay? Where is she?"

"We left her in the school, Mrs Weasley. She's okay. We should get back to Harry to see if he needs any help with the Carrows."

"The Carrows? What has been going on?"

"Molly?"

"Mum?" There was a chorus of calls for all three of them and a crowd of people soon arrived. The crowd included all the Weasleys bar Bill and Fleur, some of Hogwarts' teachers and a team of Aurors. Molly, Ron and Hermione turned toward the approaching crowd, Ron stepped away from the still unconscious LeStrange, but he remained close to him and his wand ready. The Weasleys surrounded Molly, hugging her fiercely whilst a team of Aurors moved in Ron's direction.

"Mum, are you okay?" Ginny asked as Ron approached them all.

"Oh, I am now, yes. What happened?"

"The Carrows and LeStrange over there." Arthur nodded his head toward the fallen Death Eater. "Imperiused you and managed to hold captive five others, too."

"Where are the Carrows, Mr Weasley? We left Harry with them?" Hermione reached for Ron's hand and he took it without pause, squeezing hers despite the glimmer of pain it caused in his knuckles.

"They're with Hagrid," said Harry as he made his way out of the denser forest, a smile on his face.

"Harry!" Ginny ran the few little steps and threw herself at her boyfriend, hugging him and almost knocking him off of his feet. "Pleased to see you, too, Gin." Ron could hear the happiness in his friend's voice and the fact that he squeezed her in reply. Harry finally pulled himself away from Ginny, who moved to his side and they kept their hands together. "Oh, whilst I was with Hagrid, some news came from the castle." Everyone turned to him with curious looks on their faces. "I know that you probably all want to enjoy whatever celebrations are still going on, but Bill contacted Headmistress McGonagall."

"Bill?" Molly questioned, breaking away from the others very slightly, but Arthur's hands on her shoulders kept her from moving too far out of his grasp.

"Apparently, Fleur has gone into labour and he thought you might want to get over to Shell Cottage."

Molly's face seemed to fall slightly and she began hopping and dancing around, words unable to exit her mouth. "Oh, oh," she began repeating, causing everyone else to grin at her. "Well," she finally said, "we better get over there." However, she made no attempt to move as she continued to move as if stepping on hot coals. Ron had never seen his mother quite so excited.

"Come along then, dear." Arthur took Molly by the hand and began leading her through the forest with all of their children following except Ron who stayed where he was at Hermione's side.

"Ron?" Ginny questioned, pausing with George at her side as the others continued.

"We'll be along in a bit." She nodded at him and soon disappeared into the immense foliage around them. Without any words, Ron, Hermione and Harry began a slow walk behind the others, leaving LeStrange in the hands of Harry's new work colleagues. "So much for the celebrations, eh?"

"McGonagall was doing her nut about you, Luna and Ginny being missing until they all turned up and explained. She sent the Aurors out immediately and of course nothing could stop the Weasleys."

"I can imagine. All that hard work I put into today." Ron pulled Hermione towards him and put his arm around her shoulder as they continued walking. In return, she snaked her arm around his lower back.

"I wonder if we still have to do all the other public appearances?" Ron questioned. "Or if they'll reschedule today's?"

Harry shrugged. "Hagrid didn't say. Once the girls raised the alarm, Kingsley tried to keep everyone in the Great Hall and calm with McGonagall's help. He sent the Aurors, but Hagrid had already found me and helped me drag the Carrows up toward the school. As soon as they were secure, I headed back in to you guys." There was a long pause until Harry continued. "So, what happened out here with you two and LeStrange? I mean, he looks pretty beat up."

"He tried to convince Ron that they had things in common." Her voice was a whisper and Ron questioned if Hermione believed the Death Eater's words. He could not deny that there were possible similarities between himself and LeStrange. The links between them were not strong enough to lodge within his mind; Ron had made peace with many of his older insecurities. He knew that he was first in Hermione's heart and he had no doubts concerning his motives for any of the decisions he had made concerning her or fighting the war. The similarities LeStrange spoke of existed with a much younger and naïve Ron, not the man he had become.

"Spoke a load of bullshit, that wanker."

"Ronald!" Despite her tone, Hermione squeezed him slightly with the arm which was around her waist. They soon reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest and the three of them paused, taking in the sight before them. A few lights could be seen, illuminating Hagrid's hut, behind which stood the magnificently lit up Hogwarts. To Ron it signified stability, safety and the essence of magic. Standing there after the day the three of them had had, Ron could almost see an aura of magic around the entire building. Then Hermione spoke with a quiet voice. "Do you… do you think it's all over now?"

Her hopeful eyes met Ron's before he glanced at Harry who nodded. "Yeah, I reckon so."

"I won't rest until I track down the remaining Death Eaters."

"Just don't be in a rush to make a new destiny, Harry," Hermione responded. "You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Tonight showed that."

Harry nodded. "We all did well." Before Harry started to walk off towards the castle he quickly leaned over and kissed Hermione on top of her head as a thanks. Neither Ron nor Hermione followed.

"We'll catch up with you, mate."

Harry turned, smiled and nodded at his friends and Ron and Hermione watched him as he got smaller and smaller. They then turned to each other and it was Hermione who spoke first. "I heard everything LeStrange said in the forest. He'd made you guys protected from sight, but he either forgot or failed to hide your voices. None of it was true." She shook her head almost violently and Ron placed his hand on her cheek to still it.

"I know. Maybe I used to believe some of that, but not anymore. What did they…? Before we found you." Ron had never been very good with words, however Hermione knew him and knew what it was he trying to say. Every night when she awoke, he would promise her that he would never let anything or anyone hurt her ever again yet LeStrange and the Carrows had taken her from right under his nose. They had hurt her and he had not been able to prevent it. He had stood there, watching as the Carrows had used _Crucio_ on his girlfriend, sister and friends.

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips, Ron responded instantly. "Don't blame yourself," she requested after breaking the kiss. He rested his forehead on hers, trying to believe her. "You came to my rescue, Ron. You stopped them from ever hurting me again." Despite her kind words, Ron still could not help the feelings of having let her down. "You're my hero, Ron."

"It is over, isn't it?" His own question was a whisper, the fear evident.

She nodded against his head. "We can just live our lives now. You and me, forever."

He kissed her again, pulling her body closer to his. When he finally came up for air, he whispered, "Good. Now, let's go catch up with mum and my new niece."

Smiling, Hermione took his hand and they began the short journey back to the castle and onwards to Shell Cottage, their future ahead of them.


	14. Hermione Weasley

**HP – HP – HP**

**Hermione Weasley**

**HP – HP – HP **

She allowed the overpowering smell to fill her nostrils, closing her eyes as her sense of smell activated fully. There was not a single noise that she could hear except the very faint popping sound every few seconds. She moved her feet first, allowing the heat to envelope them. She gasped as her lungs and heart jumped with the sensation and then lowered herself to her knees. The heat continued up to her thighs and as she lowered herself into a kneeling position, her lungs hitched again. She could start to feel her heart pounding and her blood coursed throughout her entire body. It was as if she could feel every single artery, vein and capillary in between. When the heat subsided, she shifted to a sitting position presenting her lower abdomen to the heat. The tingle which had begun in her feet now spread and continued up past where the heat hit. She leaned backwards until her back hit the cold enamel, causing her heart to flutter with the two extreme temperatures. Her heart was pounding harder and faster; she could feel it trying to break out of its cavity and through into her throat. The silence around her was now replaced by the _thump thump_ of her arteries delivering the much needed oxygen to her brain. The heat was all consuming, perhaps too hot, but that would not stop her.

She was finally able to relax and she breathed deeply through the heat and steam. Her eyes fluttered closed and nothing else existed except for the heat. Everything else melted away – the tension held in her muscles, the worries of the day, even all coherent thought. All that remained was her, her heartbeat and the heat. She lay still for as long as a thought, holding the real world at bay until a scream filled the air.

Hermione shook her head slightly, with a half-smile on her face. Ignoring her need to escape and relax, Hermione stood and stepped out of the tub, dripping all over the floor. Very quickly she towelled herself off and put on her dressing gown before leaving the safety of the warm, steamy bathroom. She silently crossed the hall of her home and peered through the crack in the door. There had been only one scream; maybe that was all it was going to be. Hermione was not in for that sort of luck tonight as she saw her toddler, standing in her cot and crying. The tears on her cheeks glistened in the glow from the night-light and moon streaming in through the half open curtains. Rose had already spied her mother and so Hermione entered further into the room and approached her daughter. "What's wrong, beautiful?"

Rose hiccupped through her tears and pointed at the window. Hermione followed her daughter's outstretched fingers and saw just exactly how open the curtains were. "Silly Daddy." Hermione stepped to the window and paused to look at the outside world. The bedroom overlooked the back garden and there was not much to see in the darkness. There was a very faint noise of traffic coming from the nearby road, but it was so faint that Hermione had to strain to hear it. Quietly, so as to not disturb Rose any further, Hermione pulled the curtains closed and then turned back to her first-born. No matter who put Rose to bed and how well they closed the curtains, Ron would always check on her later by leaning over the cot to watch her. Hermione had watched him do it many times, amazed by the look of pure love on his face as he watched his child sleep. As he left his daughter's side, content that she was asleep and well, he always managed to brush the curtains and open them a smidge. Normally Rose did not notice until the early morning sun awoke her, but that had not been the case tonight.

Hermione turned back to her daughter who had already returned to her outstretched position on her mattress. She smiled, noticing not for the first time how much her daughter looked like Ron. She stroked her hair and leant over to kiss her forehead. Rose's eyes were already fluttering shut and Hermione smiled at her daughter's random awakening. She returned to the bathroom to find the room still hot and steamy so she resumed her relaxing bath, hoping that if Rose were to cry again, Ron would see to her.

**The End.**

To see all of _Harry Potter and the Revenge of the Fallen_, check it out on my website - elisemarie (dot) co (dot) uk

I hope that you enjoyed this, it was my first attempt at a non ship-central fic and my first exploration away from solely Hermione and Ron's POV.


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